One-month extension to deadline for booster jabs

Those who were fully vaccinated with the Sinovac vaccine as well as senior citizens aged 60 and above will now have until the end of March to receive a booster dose in order to maintain their status as fully vaccinated.

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the original deadline was Feb 28, but that his ministry had agreed to a one-month extension in order to facilitate matters for those in this group.

“Beginning April 1, their vaccination status will change to incomplete if they have still yet to receive a booster jab,” he said at a press conference today.

Khairy said in December that senior citizens above the age of 60 and those who had received two shots of the Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine would need to take a booster jab in order to maintain their status as fully vaccinated.

He said this was in line with the proposal by the World Health Organization through its Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation.

“If they have not received their booster shots by February 2022, their vaccination status will be changed to incomplete, and they will not be eligible for the facilities accorded to those who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19,” he said.

He issued another reminder earlier this month, urging the public to “top up” their protection from the vaccines in order to stay safe from the Omicron variant.

The government began administering booster shots for fully vaccinated people on Oct 13 last year.

A total of 14,274,843 individuals or 60.7% of the adult population had received a booster jab as of yesterday.