PUTRAJAYA: The approach of adapting to COVID-19 as endemic should not be viewed as admitting defeat to the pandemic, but is an adaptation move, said Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

Speaking at a press conference at the Ministry of Health (MOH) here today, Khairy said with the Delta variant, scientists around the world were of the opinion that achieving herd immunity would be quite difficult due to the emergence of new variants.

"That is why we (Malaysia) accept the fact that maybe the endpoint is the endemic stage. I did mention that at the end of October (COVID-19) will be considered as endemic. This depends a lot on the variants and what takes place in the next two months.

"My assumption is that with the high vaccination rate at the end of October, we (Malaysia) can begin the transition to the endemic stage. Not on Oct 31, to suddenly completely be endemic (phase)," he said.

He added that the matter would depend on the behaviour of people in the country in the next two months, and reminded the public to continue to adhere to the standard operating procedures (SOPs).

"I don't think any country will view that adapting to COVID as endemic is admitting defeat to the pandemic," he said.

Meanwhile, Khairy said the COVID-19 vaccination exercise for teenagers, aged 12 to 17, will run simultaneously with the reopening of schools, which will begin on Oct 3.

He said the vaccination exercise will also be handled in stages, and Deputy Health Minister, Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali, will take the role of coordinator of the vaccination programme for teenagers.

-- BERNAMA