INDIVIDUALS who will lose their “fully vaccinated” status on April 1 will still be allowed to partake in all activities without any restrictions, Khairy Jamaluddin said today.

The health minister said details of their two primary-dose vaccination will remain in the MySejahtera mobile app, which give them to access all places. 

“They can still perform the same activities fully vaccinated individuals are permitted to do, such as dine-ins at restaurants, as well as entering shopping malls, workplaces and places of worship.

“Accordingly, premises owners need to ensure that only customers or visitors who have at least completed the primary-dose vaccination are allowed to enter the business premises, houses of worship and other places,” Khairy said in a statement today. 

Starting Friday, adults in Malaysia who received the Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines, as well as all senior citizens above the age of 60, regardless of the type of vaccine taken, will lose their fully vaccinated status if they are not boosted against the coronavirus.

Khairy added that Malaysians who wish to access places and continue performing daily activities must be vaccinated with a minimum of two doses of Pfizer, AstraZeneca or Sinovac vaccine, or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson or CanSino vaccine. 

He said those in the groups mentioned above must allow 14 days from the date of vaccination before they can enter into any premises. 

Khairy, however, said that the latitude given in the latest standard operating procedure (SOP) does not mean that these groups do of people not need to get boosted. 

He said data among vaccine recipients show that the level of protection against Covid-19 infection decreased by up to 20% for those who received two doses of Pfizer vaccine compared to 48% for people inoculated with two doses of Sinovac vaccine – within three to five months after primary vaccination. 

“Taking a booster dose will increase the level of antibodies in the body, which in turn can reduce the risk of severe symptoms due to Covid-19 infection,” he said. 

Meanwhile, for travellers entering Malaysia from April 1, the health minister said they would have to comply with the SOP set.

He said foreign visitors inoculated with the Sinovac or Sinopharm vaccines as well as all those above age 60 must be boosted to be allowed into all premises. 

He added that the SOP for travellers include the requirement to buy travel and Covid-19 insurance with a minimum value of US$20,000 (about RM84,060).

“This requirement is applicable to foreign travellers who enter Malaysia using a Short Term (Social) Visit Pass, regardless of their Covid-19 vaccination status. 

“The insurance coverage, among others, is to cover the cost of quarantine, treatment and hospitalisation, if they are infected with Covid-19 while in Malaysia,” he said. 

Khairy said fully vaccinated Singapore citizens as well as permanent residents and long-term pass holders of Malaysia and Singapore will be exempt from purchasing travel insurance.

“This exemption is applicable to travellers who enter Malaysia through Singapore via air, land or sea,” he said. – March 30, 2022.