COVID-19: Vaccine expected early 2021, priority to frontliners - Khairy

KUALA LUMPUR:The initial supply of COVID-19 vaccine is expected to be obtained in the first quarter of 2021, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Khairy Jamaluddin (BN-Rembau) said the government was targeting to provide the supply to 3 per cent of the country's population first, consisting of frontline workers.

"These frontliners cover the health and safety sectors such as doctors, nurses, police, prison and immigration staff, including vaccine access to the underprivileged rural and interior communities will also be refined," he added.

He said this while answering a question from Ahmad Hassan (Warisan-Papar) who wanted to know the guarantee from the aspect of adequacy of vaccine supply for COVID-19 which is said to be in the local pricing phase.

In addition, he would like to know the Ministry's efforts in ensuring that the vaccine can be supplied equitably to the rural and interior people who cannot afford it.

Meanwhile, Khairy said the government should spend RM3 billion as a cost estimate to ensure that 70 per cent of Malaysians are immunized against COVID-19.

He added that he has already applied for the funds to be provided in the 2021 Budget which will be tabled on Friday.