March 31 deadline for booster dose is final - Khairy

He said after that date, their vaccination status will change to incomplete if they have yet to receive the booster jab.

"Starting April 1, for Sinovac primary vaccine recipients aged 18 and above and senior citizens, who still have not taken a booster dose, their vaccination status will change from yellow to white. It is final," he said in a press conference on the development of the COVID-19 today.

Previously, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said that vaccine recipients aged 60 and above and Sinovac recipients aged 18 and above must obtain their booster dose before Feb 28 to retain their fully vaccinated status.

However, Khairy in a press conference on Feb 24 announced that the period to obtain a booster dose for the groups has been extended until March 31.

Khairy said that to date, a total of 35,000 senior citizens who are Sinovac primary vaccine recipients, had yet to receive the booster dose.

"For the elderly, booster dose has been shown to prevent the adverse effects of COVID-19. Therefore, it is important to get a booster dose.

"Indeed, the Omicron wave is not seen as aggressive as Delta, but for the elderly, especially those with comorbidities, it will not be a mild disease as this can lead to death," he said.

Khairy said Sinovac primary vaccine recipients, especially the elderly, could now get booster dose injections via walk-in at the vaccination centre.

Meanwhile, in another development, Khairy said he will meet the parents of the 13-year-old boy who allegedly died after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine injection at the Presint 18 Health Clinic on Dec 30, last year.

He said a meeting with the parents of the boy (Ravnesh Kumar) would be held at his office at the MOH tomorrow.

"It is better to meet the parents of the boy first before anything is announced... because the details of health and death are confidential," he said.

On Feb 26, a portal reported that the parents of the boy who died a few weeks after being vaccinated called on the relevant parties to explain the cause of death of their only child.

The boy is said to have collapsed inside a lift of his housing block on Jan 16 while on his way to a karate lesson before being rushed to Kajang Hospital and was pronounced dead.