Based on a Lancet publication in June this year, he said the Ministry of Health, China had approved Sinovac vaccine for the age group three to 17 in China. – Bernama file photo
KUCHING (Aug 30): State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) advisor Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian has called on Putrajaya to conduct study on the safety and efficacy of Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine for those aged three to 17 so that this age group can be vaccinated soon.
Based on a Lancet publication in June this year, he said the Ministry of Health, China had approved Sinovac vaccine for the age group three to 17 in China.
“We need the experts from the Ministry of Health Malaysia and National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Authority (NPRA) Malaysia to review this study and if suitable, approve for Sinovac vaccine to be used for three to 17 years old sooner possible.
“This will greatly increase our options and armoury in our war against Covid-19 as currently only Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is approved by NPRA for 12 to 17 years old,” he said in a Facebook post last night.
Dr Sim, who is Local Government and Housing Minister, said Malaysian government must help to see that children get vaccinated so that schools can be reopened safely.
He added that the government must ensure that as many of the country’s total population as possible can be vaccinated soon.
“This is so that we are not set back by 30 per cent of Sarawak’s population which are aged below 18, who are not vaccinated and are vulnerable to Covid-19.”
Yesterday, SDMC said an eight-year-old girl passed away from Covid-19 at Serian Hospital.
The girl from Serian, who tested positive on Aug 21, had no history of illnesses.
On Saturday, SDMC said a 17-year-old boy tested positive for Covid-19 on Aug 25 and later passed away at the Sarawak General Hospital.
The boy had comorbidities of congenital disease, chronic lung disease and epilepsy.
In light of this, Dr Sim said the state is working on expediting the vaccination of individuals aged between 12 and 17.