EXTENDING the deadline for all senior citizens and Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine recipients has nothing to do with the Johor elections, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin told Parliament today.

He said that the government extended the deadline due to public demand, but there would be no more further extensions.

“We give a little (more) time for them to complete their booster. There were requests from many to extend the deadline,” the Rembau MP said.

“The extension this time is also the last, the final. At the end of this month if they do not get their booster dose, then their vaccination status will change to incomplete,” he added, in response to a question from Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (Kuala Selangor-PH).

Last week, Khairy said that the government has extended the deadline to all senior citizens over the age of 60 and those who took Sinovac vaccines to March 31 to achieve fully vaccinated status.

He said starting April 1, anyone who had not received their booster shot would see their MySejahtera vaccination status revert to incomplete.

Khairy added that allowing walk-ins and options for vaccine recipients to choose their booster doses at offsite vaccination centres has helped to increase the vaccination coverage to a small degree.

“The ministry has already expanded the provision of boosters to everyone through walk-ins to centres.

“We also have given options to those who have yet to receive a booster dose (to choose their vaccine) because we understand there is reluctance among some recipients to mix.

“Currently, in some PPVs, we give choices of vaccines – be it Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Sinovac etc – which  has helped slightly to raise vaccination coverage among those who previously did not want to take boosters,” he said.

Last month, ProtectHealth Corporation said that starting February 14, people can walk in to get booster shot of the Sinovac brand at vaccination centres. – March 2, 2022.