PUTRAJAYA – Registrations for Covid-19 vaccination for the public will commence on March 1, said Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.
He said that the Health Ministry (MoH) had identified several methods the public could use to register, and would also identify target groups to ensure they received their vaccinations.
“There are five methods that we have identified for registration, including using the MySejahtera app, website, or phone number,” he said at a press conference today.
Earlier, according to the national Covid-19 immunisation programme handbook published by the Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee Special Committee today, of the five registration methods identified, two of them are online registration via MySejahtera or at www.vaksincovid.gov.my.
There are three methods of manual registration: calling the hotline (to be announced later), at public and private health clinic facilities, or through assistance programmes for residents in rural and remote areas.
Noor Hisham also said that MoH had been making preparations since August last year for the vaccination programme, which also included infrastructure provisions to ensure the vaccine is received and stored safely.
He said that each vaccine approved for use was based on studies conducted wherein the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) would look at the three-phase vaccine’s study data, covering effectiveness and safety.
He said that MoH was of the view to only conduct the immunisation programme for individuals aged 18 and above, even though some countries provide vaccines to 16-year-olds.
“This is because from the age of 16 to 18, there is no solid evidence to show that the vaccine can be used. We adhere to the studies that have been conducted and look at effectiveness and also side effects,” he said.
He said that side effects of vaccine use would be recorded and reported to the World Health Organization.
When asked about vaccine manufacturing companies that have been registered with NPRA, Noor Hisham said that the ministry had received dossiers from Sinovac, AstraZeneca, and Sputnik.
“NPRA is still conducting evaluations on the effectiveness and side effects of vaccines, especially phase three clinical studies.
“For the Sputnik vaccine, we have given feedback to the company along with our questions, so that they can provide the answers for us to present for approval,” he said, adding that conditional approval may be given to the company.
“Side effects or latest data can be submitted back to NPRA for evaluation,” he said. – Bernama, February 16, 2021
