Those who lose fully vaxxed status can still dine in, enter public premises, says Khairy

Individuals who lose their fully vaccinated status from April 1 due to not getting their booster shots can still carry out the same activities as those who are completely vaccinated, says Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

These activities include dining in at restaurants and entering shopping malls, workplaces and places of worship.

“As such, premise owners need to ensure that only customers or visitors who have at least completed their primer vaccination shots are allowed to enter their premises,” he said in a statement.

He said as previously announced, Sinovac and Sinopharm recipients aged 18 and above as well as primer dose recipients aged 60 and above would lose their fully vaccinated status in the MySejahtera app if they fail to get their booster shots.

However, he said the history of the primer vaccinations would remain on the app.

Khairy said individuals are considered as having completed their primer dose vaccinations when they fulfil certain criteria, including completing the 14-day waiting period after getting the second shot for two-shot vaccines like Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Sinovac.

For single-shot vaccines like Johnson & Johnson and CanSino, individuals must also complete the 14-day waiting period after getting the shot before being allowed to engage in all normal activities.

Foreign travellers entering Malaysia need to comply with the set SOPs, under which only travellers who have completed their vaccination (both primer dose vaccinations and booster shot vaccinations) will be permitted to enter premises.

“The announcement of the latest SOPs, however, does not mean that Sinovac recipients aged 18 and above and recipients of all vaccines aged 60 and above do not need their booster shots,” Khairy added.

Khairy said assessment data conducted on all vaccine recipients in Malaysia revealed that the level of protection against Covid-19 infection dropped by 20% for double Pfizer doses and 48% for Sinovac double doses in the period of three to five months after the primer vaccinations.

He said booster shots will bring up the levels of antibodies in the body and reduce the risk of severe symptoms from Covid-19 infection.

“As such, the health ministry would like to advise and encourage those who haven’t received their booster shots to get them immediately,” he added.