Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob today congratulated the nation after 80% of adults in Malaysia were fully vaccinated against Covid-19 as at 1pm today.

“Congratulations! Malaysia has hit full vaccination coverage of 80% of the country’s adult population. Let’s continue with efforts to fight Covid-19,” he said in a tweet.

Fully vaccinated is defined as having completed a waiting period for vaccine efficacy to begin. It is 14 days after receiving the second shot for those who have a two-dose vaccine, and 28 days for those given a one-shot vaccine.

Former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and director-general of health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah were the first individuals to receive the Covid-19 shot in Malaysia under the national Covid-19 immunisation programme that began on February 24.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the milestone was reached at 1pm today.

“Although the initial target was 80% of the adult population, the @JKJAVMY is working towards covering the remaining 20% who have yet to be vaccinated or refusing to be vaccinated,” he said in a tweet.

According to the CovidNow website, as of 11.59pm yesterday, 18.63 million or 79.6% adults in Malaysia have been fully vaccinated, about seven months after national immunisation programme began.

More than 40.66 million doses of vaccines have been administered so far.

Initially targeted at adults, the vaccination drive has since been expanded to adolescents.

The government has also agreed to administer booster shots, first to high-risk individuals such as the elderly, healthcare frontliners and people who are immune-compromised. – September 21, 2021.