Govt to give refugees single-dose CanSino jab: Khairy

KUALA LUMPUR – Refugees will be inoculated with the CanSino Covid-19 vaccine when supplies arrive in Malaysia next month, said Khairy Jamaluddin.

The Covid-19 National Immunisation Programme coordinating minister said the decision was made after considering the nature of the refugees.

“For refugees, it is easier to inoculate them with a single-dose vaccine. It will be difficult to give them a vaccine that requires two shots, considering the nature of the refugees.

“It is difficult to access them,” he told a press conference after visiting the Bukit Jalil National Stadium vaccination centre today.

Malaysia has granted conditional approval for emergency use of single-dose Covid-19 vaccines manufactured by China’s CanSino Biologics and United States drugmaker Johnson & Johnson.

Earlier, Khairy said the CanSino vaccines will be delivered by the end of July.

Meanwhile, commenting on the issue of native Sarawakians being turned away from receiving Covid-19 vaccines, Khairy said he has instructed that all individuals who do not possess identity documents be vaccinated first.

“If they do not possess identity documents, it’s not a problem. We will jot down their names and their personal details. What is important now is to get them vaccinated first.”

Previously, Baram People’s Action Committee chairman Philip Jau told The Vibes that his organisation has received information from numerous natives about being prohibited from receiving the jabs when they went to the Long San government clinic in central Baram district. – The Vibes, June 21, 2021