Several states in Peninsula begin receiving COVID-19 vaccine

KUALA LUMPUR: Several states in Peninsular Malaysia have started receiving the supply of COVID-19 vaccine, Comirnaty, produced by Pfizer-BioNTech today, marking the beginning of the first phase of the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK).

The country's largest vaccination programme is provided free of charge to ensure about 80 per cent of country's population, both locals and foreigners, are protected from COVID-19 virus which has infected more than 290,000 people and claimed more than 1,000 lives since the first case was reported in the country on Jan 25 last year.

Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin will be the first individual in the country to receive the vaccine - the first shot of two doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine - at the Putrajaya Health Clinic, Presint 11 at about 3 pm today.

In KEDAH, state health department director Dr Mohd Fikri Ujang said a total of 50,310 vaccine doses were allocated for the first phase of PICK in the state, to be received in stages starting today.

He said for the first phase, a total of 25,155 vaccine recipients including medical and healthcare frontliners from the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the private sector, as well as those from security sector including police, Malaysian Civil Defence Force, Immigration Department, Prisons Department and Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia.

The vaccine will be placed in three vaccine storage centres (VSC) each in Kota Setar, Kuala Muda and Langkawi districts, with 57 vaccination centres (PPV) have been listed statewide, 46 of which are located at MOH healthcare facilities.

Meanwhile, in NEGERI SEMBILAN, the Comirnaty vaccine, arrived at VSC at Seremban 2 Health Clinic here at 11.23 am.