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KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia is close to achieving the clinical and vaccination thresholds that will push the Health Ministry (MoH) to recommend the reopening of the country’s borders and the further lifting of restrictions, its minister Khairy Jamaluddin said today.
Without being specific, he noted that the desired thresholds can be achieved with an increase in the booster dose uptakes. A reasonable percentage of children also need to be vaccinated under the Children National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme, abbreviated by the ministry as PICKids.
“I have an idea in my mind which I don’t want to inform you just yet, but as far as the MoH is concerned, we are almost there.
“We will be making recommendations to the Covid-19 Ministerial Quartet led by (Defence Minister) Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein for further reopening. We are almost there,” he reiterated during a press conference after the launch of the PICKids programme
Khairy said he would be keeping a close watch on indicators such as the booster dose uptake rate, which he said has seemed to have “hit a wall” with just over 55% of adults jabbed so far.
“There are others who are reluctant, but I appeal to these people because we want to reopen our borders and many other things we want to recommend. I need the cooperation from those yet to receive their booster doses to go and get it,” he said.
Besides reopening borders, Khairy said several significant changes to isolation and quarantine regulations will be announced by the MoH in the coming days, after factoring in the potential effects of the festive season.
“We want to be 100% sure, so we want to wait for the Chinese New Year effect to be factored in, then we will be making some big announcements,” he added.
MoH can enforce partial cigarette sale ban
Commenting on the recent proposed ban on cigarette and vape products for those born after 2005, Khairy said the MoH is prepared to enforce the regulation if it obtains the approval of the Dewan Rakyat.
He stressed that despite arguments against the prohibition – that it would possibly encourage the sale of illicit cigarettes – the government and its agencies are more than equipped to enforce the ban.
“Yes, enforcement is an issue and is a concern, but it should not be an obstacle for us to pursue this generational ban.
“There are many methods by which we can monitor the sale of cigarettes and we will have a look at other methods to enforce this ban, should the legislation be passed in Parliament,” he added.
Separately, he said standard operating procedures concerning the umrah pilgrimage as well as the upcoming Johor election will be announced soon. – The Vibes, February 3, 2022
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