PRIME Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and director-general of health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah received the Covid-19 vaccine at the Presint 11 Health Clinic in Putrajaya, today. 

They are the first in the country to receive the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine as the government begins a three-phase national immunisation plan today to inoculate at least 80% of the population 

Muhyiddin arrived at the clinic around 2.30pm after Noor Hisham, who was there about 2pm. 

The vaccination process was telecast live on RTM, Bernama, TV3, Astro Awani and Facebook. 

On Sunday, Malaysia received  312,390 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which landed at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport and in Penang. The vaccine was subsequently distributed overland across the states.

The doses were sent from Singapore, the Asia Pacific distribution hub for the vaccine.

Muhyiddin remarked after the procedure that the shot had felt like a “normal injection”.  

“So don’t worry and come forward (for the shot),” he said in a message to Malaysians.

“I plead with all Malaysians to get the vaccine, it is free”

The government is doing all it can to break the chain of coronavirus transmissions, he added.

“We hope the country will recover in a short time.” 

More than 500,000 front-liners will receive the vaccine in the first phase of the campaign, starting today until April. 

The second phase from April to August will target senior citizens as well as vulnerable groups with comorbidity issues and persons with disabilities.

The third phase from May to February 2022 is for everyone aged 18 and above.

The campaign aims to immunise 80% of the people in Malaysia, including foreigners.

To receive the vaccine, the person is screened for symptoms before he is allowed to register. That is followed by the consultation and consent processes before the injection is administered. The person is placed under observation in the final step. – February 24, 2021.