KUALA LUMPUR: Healthy individuals aged 50 to 59 are now given the option to take a second booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the decision was based on recommendations of the Technical Working Group under the ministry, for protection from the risk of severe illnesses due to COVID-19.

"The Health Ministry has increased the percentage of individuals eligible to receive the booster dose to curb the spread of infection, serious infections as well as deaths.

"The ministry urges all eligible individuals to come forward to obtain this service so that the Malaysian population gets optimal protection against COVID-19," he said during the question and answer session in Parliament.

He was replying to a question from Datuk Rubiah Wang (GPS-Kota Samarahan) about the latest threat posed by the new COVID-19 variant and the ministry's actions in tackling it.

Currently, those eligible to receive the second booster dose are high-risk individuals aged 60 and above with comorbidity problems and individuals aged 60 and above without comorbidities with recommendations from medical practitioners.

Senior citizens living in long-term care facilities, high-risk individuals aged 18 to 59 as well as frontline workers are also eligible for a second booster dose.

In the meantime, Khairy said the ministry was also looking at the production of a new generation of vaccines that might enter the market as well as get the approval of health regulatory bodies.

"If it is found that vaccines developed for variants such as omicron are effective and safe, perhaps procurement can be considered in the future," he said in response to Rubiah's supplementary question on the extent to which the previously conducted National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme can help the country in dealing with new virus variants.

-- BERNAMA