Healthy adults aged 50-59 allowed option of second booster jab

Healthy individuals aged 50 to 59 now have the option of receiving a second booster dose of Covid-19 vaccine, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the decision was based on the recommendations of the Technical Working Group under the ministry, for protection from the risk of severe illnesses due to Covid-19.

"The health ministry has increased the percentage of individuals eligible to receive a booster dose to curb the spread of infection, serious infections as well as deaths.

"The ministry urges all eligible individuals to come forward to obtain this service so that the Malaysian population gets optimal protection against Covid-19," he said during the question and answer session in the Dewan Rakyat.

He was responding to a question from Rubiah Wang (GPS-Kota Samarahan) about the latest threat posed by the new Covid-19 variant and the ministry's measures to tackle it.

Previously, those eligible to receive a second booster dose were high-risk individuals aged 60 and above with comorbidity problems and individuals aged 60 and above without comorbidities with recommendations from medical practitioners.

Senior citizens living in long-term care facilities, high-risk individuals aged 18 to 59 as well as frontline workers are also eligible for a second booster dose.

Khairy said the ministry was also looking at the production of a new generation of vaccines that might enter the market and obtain the approval of health regulatory bodies.

"If it is found that vaccines developed for variants such as Omicron are effective and safe, perhaps procurement can be considered in the future," he said in response to Rubiah’s supplementary question on the extent to which the previously conducted National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme could help the country deal with new virus variants.