COVID-19 vaccine booster shots will be given to other groups apart from the currently eligible recipients as they have been found to increase immunity against the coronavirus, Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said.

The ministry will expand administration of booster shots to more groups of people besides the current recipients who are senior citizens aged 60 years and above, and frontliners who completed two doses six months ago.

“A panel of the ministry’s medical specialists examined the effectiveness and safety of booster doses from various sources and found that a single shot can  increase the level of immunity. 

“The ministry’s next strategy is to expand the booster doses to individuals aged 18 years and above with comorbidities, individuals aged 40 years and above, pregnant mothers and other frontliners (other than health personnel),” Dr Noor Hisham said in a statement today. 

Vaccine selection for the booster shot will, however, depend on regulatory approval as well as approval by the treating physician.

“So far, only the Comirnaty (Pfizer) vaccine has been approved as a homologous booster dose after a period of six months of receiving the primary dose, while other vaccines are in the process of review by expert and regulatory panels,” he said. 

A total of 825,497 booster doses have been given in Malaysia, he added. 

Two days ago, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the government has begun to give booster shots to those above 40.

As of yesterday, 75.7% of the total population has been fully vaccinated, meaning, they have completed the full doses required for inoculation and completed the requisite waiting period for antibodies to develop.

To those who have yet to be vaccinated, Dr Noor Hisham urged them to do so as they are at greater risk of getting infected. 

“For those who have not received the vaccine and have never been infected with Covid-19, you are now in the group most at risk of getting infected with Covid-19. 

“The ministry advises you to immediately register and get the vaccine so that you and your family are protected from this dangerous virus.” – November 12, 2021.