PUTRAJAYA – Malaysia will receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine a week earlier before the first phase of the national Covid-19 immunisation plan begins on February 26, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Adham Baba today.
He said the vaccine needed to be received earlier to enable the 7,000 individuals tasked with providing the vaccination to be vaccinated themselves.
“We need to prioritise those who are assigned to provide the vaccination. 7,000 vaccinators have been chosen for early shots. Therefore, (the vaccine) is expected to be received a week earlier than February 26,” he said when met at his office here today.
On January 11, the agreement for the delivery of the first phase of Covid-19 Pfizer-BioNTech BNT1262b to the country was signed through the Health Ministry between the Malaysian government andwith Pfizer (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd.
The agreement with Pfizer involves the procurement of 12,799,800 doses of vaccine that will be supplied from the end of February, covering 20% of Malaysia’s population, with two doses per person.
Adham said the vaccine will be received in phases, with 148,000 doses for the first phase.
He said the ministry has identified 55 vaccination storage locations throughout the country equipped with ultra low temperature freezers (ULTF), as the vaccine requires to be kept at -70 degrees Celsius.
He added that the ministry is cooperating with Tenaga Nasional Bhd to ensure that there will be no electricity supply disruptions at the vaccine storage locations.
Regarding the 600 vaccination centres that will be open throughout the country, Adham said seven personnel, including a medical officer and nurse, will be stationed at each vaccination centre.
“We estimate to provide 210 vaccinations at each location daily and if it goes smoothly...120,000 shots can be carried out daily at all 66 vaccination centres,” he said.
He added that the ministry will ensure that the vaccination centres are located in strategic areas and have the proper equipment capable of storing the vaccine well.
“The vaccination centres need to be organised and tidy. Vaccinations will be carried out in fixed numbers because we do not want people to form long queues.
“We also need to provide a resting period of 30 minutes for those taking the vaccine because we do not want them to suffer any side effects after the shot,” he said.
Last Wednesday, Adham said the ministry was prepared to implement the first phase of the national Covid-19 immunisation plan as soon as the vaccine reaches Malaysia on February 26.
According to him, the early training sessions for vaccine delivery to the Belaga health clinic in Sarawak on January 29 and Bintulu Hospital on January 30 were carried out successfully without any issues.
He said that the early training is to ensure the vaccines from the Pfizer facility in Puurs, Belgium, which require ultra cold containers, reach Malaysia without any problems, he said. – Bernama, February 5, 2021
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