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PUTRAJAYA, Feb 24 — The vaccination exercise under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme in all states will be implemented in stages, programme coordinating minister Khairy Jamaluddin said.
This is because not all 532 Vaccine Dispensing Centres (PPV) have received their Covid-19 vaccine supply as the number of doses from suppliers is currently limited, Khairy, who is also Science, Technology and Innovation Minister, said.
“The amount will increase from time to time according to the delivery schedule as previously announced.
“Thorough preparations are being carried out nationwide and we believe the exercise will run smoothly and safely upon commencement,” he told a media conference after the launch of the immunisation programme by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin here today.
Muhyiddin took his first vaccine jab today to kick-start a nationwide exercise that aims to provide Covid-19 immunisation for free to the people in Malaysia, locals and foreigners alike.
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah and four other Health Ministry personnel also received their shots.
Khairy said Selangor will begin its vaccination exercise tomorrow, followed by Pahang, Sarawak and Terengganu on Feb 26 ; Labuan (Feb 27); Kedah and Penang (Feb 28); Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Johor, Perak and Perlis (March 1), Kelantan, Melaka and Negri Sembilan (March 2) and Sabah (March 4).
In another development, Khairy said the Covid-19 vaccine produced by Johnson & Johnson was still in the evaluation stages, with the vaccine’s term sheet to be finalised in the near future.
Four other vaccines, namely Sinovac, CanSinoBIO, AstraZeneca and Sputnik V were still being evaluated by the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA), he said. — Bernama