MIRI – Sarawakians have called on Kuching to appeal to the Health Ministry for Sinovac booster shots, seeing that the state suffers from the highest number of Covid-19 fatalities once again.
Yesterday saw 22 confirmed coronavirus deaths, which is almost half of the national tally.
State Disaster Management Committee adviser Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian today acknowledged that the public wants Sinovac booster shots to supplement the current Pfizer booster doses.
“I had to communicate with (Health Minister) Khairy Jamaluddin late last night about vaccine hesitancy in Sarawak, and spoke to him about the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommending Sinovac as a third dose.
“I told him about the waning immunity, as seen in new cases in Malaysia, and Sarawak (especially). Sarawak happens to have completed vaccinations the earliest, and now needs booster doses.
“I urged him to get our medical experts to re-examine our latest local and global scientific data to consider Sinovac as a booster dose, in addition to the current Pfizer booster dose. Any WHO-approved vaccine is a good vaccine,” he said in a social media update.
The Borneo Post had reported incumbent Bukit Assek representative Irene Chang as saying that many Sarawakians are still hesitant to go for booster jabs, since only Pfizer is available at the moment.
“Data from the state Health Department showed that 77.7% of Sarawakians had Sinovac for their first and second doses. Now in Sarawak, only Pfizer is available for the booster or third dose.
“That is why many Sarawakians are still hesitant to go for booster shots, because they want Sinovac. They are worried about mixing with the Pfizer vaccine after having Sinovac doses,” she said.
Chang questioned why Sabahans have been given Sinovac booster shots, yet there is none for Sarawakians.
Meanwhile, social media users queried when they would be able to get Sinovac as their third dose.
Local Peter Aju said in a Miri community website that he will wait until Sinovac is available.
“The MySejahtera notice did not say mine is Pfizer or Sinovac. I was told to go to a venue to get the booster dose, but I did not respond.
“I heard only Pfizer is available now. I want Sinovac,” he said, adding that he had two Sinovac doses earlier this year. – The Vibes, November 14, 2021
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