Interval required before former COVID patients can be vaccinated to be decided soon - Khairy

PUTRAJAYA: The time gap required before individuals who have been infected with COVID-19 can receive the vaccine will be decided this week, said National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) Coordinating Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

He said the Special Committee on COVID-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee (JKJAV) would set the interval before COVID-19 positive individuals are allowed to receive their vaccine shots.

"Based on JKJAV's existing policy on vaccination of COVID-19 positive individuals the time period after recovery is three months but this not followed by all PPVs (vaccination centrrs). Therefore, this matter will have to be decided at the JKJAV level this week, " he told a joint press conference on PICK development with Health Minister Dr Adham Baba here today.

Meanwhile, Khairy said the contribution of 500,000 doses of Sinovac vaccine from China would arrive by the middle of this month thereby increasing vaccine supply and vaccination capacity this month and beyond.

Malaysia has so far received a donation of one million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine from Japan last Thursday and another one million doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine from the United States today.

On claims that sale of vaccine appointment slots are going on, Khairy said two arrests were made by the police last week.

Without disclosing where the arrests were made he said, the COVID-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) are working with the police on the matter as this involves manipulation of the vaccination system.

"We are aware of some loopholes and we are working on plugging the holes as quickly as possible," he said.

Earlier a local media portal reported that some volunteers at Sabah PPVs were selling appointment slots for those wanting to jump the queue to get their vaccines.

-- BERNAMA