KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s first batch of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines, 312,390 doses, is expected to arrive tomorrow at 10am at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) where it will be flown in on an Airbus 330-300 under MASKargo flight MH604.
A fact sheet released by the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry stated that the doses began their journey from a factory in Puurs, Belgium, in transit at Leipzig Halle Airport before heading to Singapore for distribution to other countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including Malaysia.
Upon arrival, the vaccine will be handled by DHL Express, the agent appointed by Pfizer-BioNTech as its global distributor.
The VIPs expected to receive the vaccine at KLIA tomorrow include Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba, his director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin and Transport Minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong.
The vaccine is the first to receive conditional approval from the Drug Control Authority and the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) on January 8. Up until February, Malaysia has obtained access to 66.7 million doses through the Covax facility.
The Covid-19 immunisation programme is expected to start on February 26 with Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and other frontliners being the first to receive the jab.
The programme will be divided into three phases.
The first phase will be from February to April where the vaccine will be given to frontliners, the second phase will take place from April to August involving senior citizens aged 60 and above as well as other high-risk groups.
The final phase will be held concurrently with the second phase which is from May to February 2022 involving all Malaysians aged 18 and above. – The Vibes, February, 20, 2021
