THE Health Ministry has started negotiations to procure Covid-19 vaccines for children under the age of 12, Khairy Jamaluddin said.

The health minister said he has already begun talks with a company that is producing vaccines and has pre-clinical data for children below 12. 

“We are negotiating to procure the vaccine,” he said at a press conference in Putrajaya today. 

Khairy said the ministry will continue the vaccination programme so that all those who are eligible are vaccinated before the end of the year.

“Based on information from the World Health Organisation (WHO), no country has achieved herd immunity.  

“In fact, the WHO also states that the main goal of Covid-19 vaccination is to reduce cases and deaths, with cluster immunity no longer a priority.”

Therefore, he said they have changed the strategy to provide vaccines to as many Malaysians as possible, include new groups based on data such as children and also provide booster doses for certain groups.  

“This strategy is very important for us to control the transmission of Covid-19, reduce the rate of intensive care unit admissions as well as reduce the mortality rate so we can enter the endemic phase safely.” – September 24, 2021.