[UPDATED] ‘Yes’ to mix-and-match Covid-19 booster shots: Khairy

KUALA LUMPUR – The government has agreed to allow heterologous vaccination – the mixing and matching of different brands – for the administration of Covid-19 booster shots, the Dewan Rakyat was told today. 

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the decision was made in a meeting of the Special Committee on Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee (JKJAV) last week, following recommendations from the technical sub-committee. 

“JKJAV has been recommended to allow heterologous vaccination for booster shots, which will begin this month,” he said in Parliament today, adding that studies on its safety have been conducted. 

“This means vaccines can be mixed, and need not necessarily be the same as the first and second doses.” 

Khairy was responding to a question from Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun (Beaufort-PN) on when the ministry plans to use heterologous vaccination to improve the efficacy of the jabs, and whether studies have been conducted on this front. 

Last month, the minister had announced that the government is looking to administer a third Covid-19 dose to individuals with low immune systems and senior citizens with comorbidity beginning this month.

He said this will be followed by booster shots for others who are fully inoculated and have seen the jab’s efficacy decline over time, but did not, at the time, confirm if vaccines will be allowed to be mixed. 

On the recent spike in cases in Sarawak despite its high vaccination rate, Khairy said the government is working to ensure health facilities there are able to cope with any further increases in infections. 

In particular, he said, the ministry is looking at ways to increase the capacity of hospitals to treat Category 4 and 5 Covid-19 patients, especially the availability of beds in intensive care units. 

“It is pertinent that our public health system is able to provide these clinical beds. 

“This is among the initial measures that need to be taken by other states as well, so that in the event there are more new variants or waves, they can respond well. Let’s pray it doesn’t happen, though,” he said. 

Khairy also noted that, while cases in the Borneo state have been on an increase in recent weeks, about 98% of them are patients in Category 1, 2 and 3, showing little to no symptoms.

Meanwhile on Twitter, Khairy tweeted that social events in enclosed spaces will be among the last sectors to resume operations.

Majlis sosial dalam venue tertutup mungkin antara sektor terakhir untuk dibuka. I am unconvinced at the moment that SOPs can be observed in big weddings etc where masks come off and people talk w/ mouths full of food. Let’s see how we behave after rentas negeri is allowed. https://t.co/NdN6Qgo1Po

— Khairy Jamaluddin ??? (@Khairykj) October 4, 2021

The Rembau MP said this in reply to a tweet that asked if social events would resume after allowing interstate travel.

“Social events in closed venues may be among the sectors last to resume operations.

“I am unconvinced that standard operating procedures can be observed in big weddings, etc. where masks come off and people talk with mouths full of food.

“Let’s see how we behave after interstate travel is allowed,” Khairy tweeted.

Interstate travel is expected to resume somewhere this month.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob assured the public interstate travel would be allowed once 90% of the adult population were fully vaccinated.

Meanwhile, on September 27, National Recovery Council chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the 90% fully vaccinated mark would be achieved by the beginning or middle of this month. – The Vibes, October 4, 2021