KUCHING, Oct 13: Efforts to administer third and booster Covid-19 vaccine shots to a total of 122,540 people comprising medical frontliners, senior citizens above the age of 60 as well as immunocompromised persons start today.
State Health Department deputy director Dr Rosemawati Ariffin in a statement today said Sarawak will start administering the third dose of Covid-19 vaccines and booster shots to all residents in Sarawak starting Oct 13.
She said an estimated 11,900 immunocompromised persons will be given their third dose as well as 80,300 senior citizens above age 60 and 30,340 medical frontliners.
She pointed out that giving booster shots does not mean that the two doses administered previously did not provide clinical protection but this is needed to provide added protection to vulnerable groups.
She explained that these groups of people are among those who have issues with their immune system whereby two doses of Covid-19 vaccines were insufficient to provide protection to fight Covid-19.
She said the third dose of Covid-19 vaccines can be administered at least after 28 days of getting the second dose of a Covid-19 vaccine while booster shots are administered at least six months after the second dose.
Dr Rosemawati said the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine has been approved for the booster dose programme by Ministry of Health and that the public may get their third dose and booster shot at selected health clinics, private hospitals and private clinics.
For those who are eligible, they may contact the clinics to set appointments first.
She said the list of health clinics, private clinics and hospitals providing the third dose of Covid-19 vaccines will be publicised from time to time through the mass media and social media to facilitate the process of making appointments.
Dr Rosemawati said the State Health Department hoped the administration of the third doses and booster shots especially to high risk groups will bring Sarawak and Malaysia out of the Covid-19 pandemic into the endemic phase.
For further information, contact the State Health Department’s hotline at 082-473276 or 082-473345. The hotline is open from 8am to 5pm daily. — DayakDaily
