THE Health Ministry will have to acquire more information and test the effectiveness of any Covid-19 vaccine before purchasing it, said director-general of health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

Malaysia is eager to procure a vaccine but will not rush into it, he told a press conference today.

“Before purchasing the vaccine we have to look into the data whether the vaccine is reliable. 

“Once the data has been studied by our specialists, and if it is effective, only then we will invest in it.”

Noor Hisham was responding to reports that China and Russia had produced a vaccine.

“We have a lot of questions but we still have not seen the latest information released (on the vaccine).

“What we do know is that these two countries have registered the vaccine,” he said.

One of the issues they need to consider, Noor Hisham added, is whether the vaccine has side effect or effects. – August 18, 2020.