2nd booster dose: Senior citizens to receive booking link from today - Khairy

KUALA LUMPUR: Individuals aged 60 and above who meet the criteria for the COVID-19 vaccine second booster dose will receive a booking link in stages starting today via the MySejahtera application.

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said individuals who receive the link can book an appointment at listed vaccination centers (PPVs).

He said those eligible were individuals 60 years old and above who had received the first booster dose at least four to six months ago.

"For individuals who have completed their first booster dose and infected with COVID-19, they are eligible to receive the second booster dose three months after full recovery," he said in a statement, today.

Khairy said the Pfizer (Comirnaty) second booster dose was for high-risk individuals aged 60 and above including patients with chronic respiratory disease; chronic heart disease and vascular disease; chronic kidney disease; chronic liver disease and chronic neurological disease.

Khairy said healthy individuals aged 60 and above should first discuss with their medical practitioners if they want the second booster dose.

He also said that individuals undergoing treatment in government or private hospitals which operate as PPV, can be given a second booster dose opportunistically while non-PPV hospitals, pre-vaccination assessment (PVA) should be performed by a specialist and then referred to a nearby hospital that operates as a PPV.

Khairy said senior citizens could also walk in at any PPV that was still operating while senior citizens care centres could also apply for the second booster dose at nearest district health offices.

Meanwhile, he said teenagers aged 12 to 17 in the moderate or severe immunocompromised category and certified by government and private physicians are eligible to receive the additional dose.

Khairy said they can receive the additional dose at least 28 days after receiving the last dose of the primer series, while for individuals who have completed the primary dose and who have tested positive for COVID-19, they are eligible to receive an additional dose after three months of full recovery.

Khairy said teenagers who are undergoing treatment in government hospitals, private hospitals, private pediatric specialist clinics, health clinics with specialists which are PPVs can be given extra doses opportunistically at such health facilities.

He also said that individuals aged 18 and above who wished to go abroad can receive the second booster dose after an interval of at least one month from the first booster dose to meet requirements of the country of destination.

"They can walk in without an appointment at operating PPVs by bringing along supporting documents (such as flight tickets or travel documents)," he said.

-- BERNAMA