UNVACCINATED people accounted for 4,076, or 53.4%, Covid-19 deaths from September 1-October 30, Dr Amar Singh HSS said today.

Of those vaccinated during the same period, Sinovac vaccine recipients made up the highest number of deaths, at 1,573. Sinovac has been administered to 39.3% of the population.

The consultant paediatrician said these figures were based on the Health Ministry’s Github database.

He said the data showed that unvaccinated or partially vaccinated people accounted for 71.7% of the deaths during this period.

He said 1,401, or 18.3%, deaths involved those who were partially vaccinated.

Amar said this showed the effectiveness of being fully vaccinated, which has led to a decline in hospitalisation cases and deaths.

“Despite smaller numbers of unvaccinated, they form a larger number of deaths. Vaccination works,” he told The Malaysian Insight. 

However, based on the Sinovac figures, he noted that being fully vaccinated can still be infected as well as cause death. 

“The data showed that 2,159, or 28.3%, fully vaccinated people died from Covid-19 during this period,” he said, adding that 1,573 of them had received the Sinovac vaccine.

He had also shared these figures on his Twitter.

Amar said those above 60 with comorbidities who had taken the Sinovac shots should be given a mRNA vaccine as a booster.

He said this is because the mRNA vaccines like Pfizer or Moderna have shown to be more effective against the Delta variant, which the Sinovac has not.

“The Sinovac efficacy does not seem to be effective in protecting against the Delta variant and has led to an increase in hospitalisation and deaths,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Pfizer vaccine recipients accounted for the second highest number of deaths, at 550 or 25.5%. This vaccine has the highest usage among the population – 52.1%. 

For the Pfizer vaccine recipient deaths, Amar said 75% of them were 60 years and above, with 94% having had comorbidities. 

AstraZeneca, which has only been used on 8% of the population, only accounted for 36, or 1.7%, deaths.

Malaysia has recorded 28,876 fatalities since the start of the pandemic. 

The government has also started giving booster shots to Sinovac recipients. – October 31, 2021.