PUTRAJAYA – Malaysia will continue the use of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine in the national immunisation programme, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba.
He said the decision was made following a Special Committee for Ensuring Access to Covid-19 Vaccine Supply (JKJAV) meeting here today.
“The use of the AstraZeneca vaccine will continue because existing clinical data still points to its benefits outweighing the risks.”
He added that the Health Ministry took note of the elements of “adverse effects” and reported cases involving thrombocytopenia.
Dr Adham’s comments echoed Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah’s two days ago.
“Looking into the incidents, (blood clots) are very, very rare.
“So, the benefits outweigh the risks, and this is the decision we have made, but, nevertheless, we still have to be careful on the usage of the AstraZeneca vaccine,” Dr Noor Hisham had said.
The shot has been saddled with controversy, with foreign media reports linking it to blood clots and deaths in the United Kingdom.
Earlier, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin had said the government’s Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Special Committee would review the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Putrajaya has a support plan on standby if the committee decides that the vaccine is not suitable to be used in Malaysia, he had said.
He had said local experts would meet today to further analyse the vaccine’s clinical data, following reports on its side effects in cases in the UK.
On April 2, the ministry handed AstraZeneca a conditional registration for shots via the Covax facility provided by manufacturer SK Bioscience Co Limited in South Korea.
Dr Adham had said Malaysia would procure 10% of the AstraZeneca vaccine supply from Thailand via direct purchase. – The Vibes, April 6, 2021
