Malaysia's COVID-19 vaccine has arrived. What happens next?

KUALA LUMPUR: PFIZER'S highly anticipated COVID-19 vaccine made its way to Malaysia this morning.

Here’s what you need to know.

• A total of 312,390 doses of COVID-19 vaccine landed safely on Sunday at 10 am at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) using MH604 aircraft via DHL Express in a joint effort with Malaysia Aviation Group's cargo subsidiary, MABkargo Sdn Bhd,

• The National COVID-19 Immunisation Program (Handbook) which have been brought forward by two days, will begin on Wednesday, 24 February 2021.

• Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba said, the government plans to issue COVID-19 passports as verification for individuals who have received the vaccine. MOH and MOSTI are amidst refining the proposed plan for the proof of vaccination via ‘MySejahtera or a passport that can be accepted by other countries.’

HOW TO REGISTER - The National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme

• The programme which will be carried out for free in three phases, targets to vaccinate at least 26.5 million Malaysians (80 per cent of the population) on voluntary basis.

• There are five ways to register for the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme.

• Registration for the vaccination programme is expected to be opened to the public on March 1, 2021.

• Registration can be done via:

- MySejahtera app

- JKJAV (Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee Special Committee)

- Hotline number where the public can call in.

- Manual registration at public and private clinics and hospitals

- As for those living in rural areas, the registration will be assisted by the state government.

WHO GETS THE VACCINE FIRST?

• Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah will be among the first to be inoculated in order to boost confidence in the COVID-19 vaccine.

• A total of 271,802 frontline staff have registered to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in the first phase of inoculation.

• The first phase of vaccinations, from February to April, will cover 500,000 frontliners which includes those from the Health Department, Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM), the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM), Customs, Volunteers Department of Malaysia (Rela), Prison officers, as well as the Fire Department.

• The second phase, from April to August is targeted to inoculated 9.4 million people from the high-risk group consisting senior citizens who are above 60 years old, people with disabilities and people with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes.

• The third phase which will be implemented from May 2021 to February 2022, is for all the remaining individuals including adults aged 18 years and above.

WHO CAN GET VACCINATED?

• Other than Malaysians, the free COVID-19 vaccines will also be available to diplomats, expatriates, students, foreign spouses and their children, and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees cardholders.

• The Malaysian government has also decided to give free COVID-19 vaccinations to millions of foreign workers to curb clusters that have emerged in construction sites and factories.

• Up to 126,000 people will be vaccinated per day at 600 locations nationwide from late February.

Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine distribution plan

• Malaysia has acquired 66.7 million doses of vaccine supply as at February via the COVAX facility from five producers ; Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca, Sinovac Life Sciences Co Ltd (Sinovac), CanSinoBIO and Sputnik V.

• According to the Coordinating Minister for the National COVID-19 Immunisation Program, Khairy Jamaluddin, the 312,390 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine received today would be delivered to 16 vaccine storage centres throughout Malaysia, of which six in Selangor, four in Johor, three in Kuala Lumpur, two in Penang and one in Putrajaya.

• The vaccine for Johor was delivered overland from Singapore at 2 pm today, meanwhile for Penang, it would be sent via aircraft at 6 pm.

• The second batch of the Pfizer vaccine is anticipated to arrive on Friday, followed by more batches to be delivered every two weeks until the full supply of Malaysia's purchase order is completed.

• The Malaysian government has signed an agreement with Pfizer (Malaysia) for the procurement of 12,799,800 doses of vaccine, which should cover 20 per cent of the population, with two doses per person.

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