SEPANG – Malaysia today received 415,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine contributed by the United Kingdom, which will further boost the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK).
The consignment was flown in via Emirates Airlines EK 346, which landed at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) here at 2.20pm.
On hand to receive the vaccines were PICK Coordinating Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, Senior Minister (Security) Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba and British High Commissioner to Malaysia Charles Hay.
The vaccine supply is the fourth contribution from a foreign country to Malaysia. Prior to this, Japan donated 998,400 AstraZeneca doses, the United States contributed 1,000,350 Pfizer doses and China gave 500,000 Sinovac doses.
Expressing appreciation for the UK’s contribution in a joint press conference with Hay, Khairy said: “This contribution will ramp up vaccinations in Malaysia. We currently have the highest vaccination rate daily per capita in the world.”
He said about 62% of the adult population in Malaysia has received their first dose while 31% are fully vaccinated.
Khairy said the AstraZeneca vaccines received today are for first-dose recipients and will be delivered to various states.
“We are also scheduled to receive another batch of some 500,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine at the end of the month for second-dose use,” he said.
Quoting the Malay proverb, “bagaikan aur dengan tebing; berat sama dipikul, ringan sama dijinjing”, Hay said the UK and Malaysia enjoy the best of relations and expressed hope that the vaccine contribution will boost the vaccination rate in Malaysia and help protect more people from Covid-19. – Bernama, August 3, 2021
