THE Health Ministry will shorten the dosing interval for those getting the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine second dose by three weeks, Khairy Jamaluddin said. 

He said that to get fully vaccinated, the interval between the first and second doses would now be shortened from nine to six weeks. 

“This is provide convenience for those who are getting their first dose of AstraZeneca,” he said at a press conference in Putrajaya today.

As for the third dose, Khairy said priority will be given to high-risk groups such as health frontline members, immunocompromised patients, elderly with co-morbidities and individuals living or working in long-term care facilities. 

“This third dose can increase the level of immunity in individuals at high risk for infection, where the second dose is not sufficient to enhance the immune response.

“To that end, a panel of health experts is developing guidelines for the implementation of booster shots, which will be presented in the next Special Committee on Covid-19 Vaccine Supply meeting,” he said. – September 24, 2021.