INDIVIDUALS above the age of 60 and those with comorbidities are advised to get their Covid-19 booster shots as the country continues to report a high number of infections, the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) said today.

With millions still hesitant to get their booster dose, MMA president Dr Koh Kar Chai said that medical evidence proves that the vaccine helps to reduce the severity of infections as well as the need for hospitalisation.

“The advice from medical experts is to get the first booster, as evidence has shown that it reduces the severity of the disease as well as lowers the risk of hospitalisation if one does get the infection.

“Do be aware that the vaccine does not prevent a person from getting infected but it reduces the severity and risk of mortality if one gets infected,” he said in a statement today.

Koh warned those who have not taken even their first booster dose to get their shots immediately as he claims that the immunity from their primer doses would have waned.

He said they should not burden the healthcare system.

He also encouraged those who are above the age of 60 as well as those with comorbidities to get their second booster shots.

“Those who have yet to get their first booster, you are advised to get the shots as the immunity obtained from the first two doses will have already waned by now.

“We are at the moment facing a high number of Covid-19 cases along with many influenza-like illnesses and it is best not to overload the healthcare system with these cases which will deprive medical care for those who need it urgently.

“In the meantime, those who are above the age of 60 as well as those with comorbidities are encouraged to get their second booster shots which are available at medical clinics under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PPV GPs).

“Just go on to your MySejahtera to book your slots or alternatively contact any nearby PPV GPs for an appointment,” he said.

On Monday, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said some seven million Malaysians have yet to take their Covid-19 booster shots.

Ismail said although the booster dose is no mandatory, it is still vital amid a fresh wave of coronavirus cases and would help in facing new variants of the virus, especially the more infectious Omicron BA.5 variant.

Koh said that people should not wait for a variant-specific vaccine as he claims that the virus is mutating constantly.

“We know that the science behind Covid-19 evolves constantly as our experience grows and more data will be available as time goes by.

“There are those who are waiting for an Omicron-specific vaccine to be available as well as those who feel that the vaccines do not protect against getting infected with the variants BA.4 and BA.5.

“The virus is constantly evolving and we will be faced with even more new variants. There will be the never ending effort to get a variant specific vaccine out in time before a new variant surfaces,” he said.

Last week, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said that the highly infectious Omicron sub-variant BA.5 had already been detected in the country, which potentially may be causing the increase in daily cases. – July 15, 2022.