BAGAN SERAI – The government is mulling to give single-shot COVID-19 vaccine for those living in rural and interior areas, said Deputy Health Minister Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali.
He said this was after taking into account several factors including logistics and the location of rural communities.
“Those residing in the interior areas may find it difficult to come again (to take the second dose of the vaccine). The government is likely to use the single-shot vaccine like CanSino (from China), but so far, we have not received it yet,” he said.
He said this after officiating the 21st Annual General Meeting of the Bagan Serai Branch of the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) Veteran Association at Dewan Komuniti Bagan Serai, here today.
Malaysia has so far gained access to COVID-19 vaccine supplies through the COVAX facility, and initial purchases from five COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers which include two-dose vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca, Sinovac Life Sciences Co Ltd (Sinovac) and CanSinoBIO, and single-dose vaccine Sputnik V, from Russia.
Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah was previously reported to have said that all parties including public and private agencies need to come together to make a success of the phase two COVID-19 vaccination programme, which has seen a low sign-up rate especially in the rural areas.
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin meanwhile today gave his assurance that the government would strive to restore the livelihood of the people who were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said the government would be mobilising all its capabilities and efforts including finance to ensure the people continue to lead the way of life before the COVID-19 pandemic began.
“This is a burden the government is shouldering but I would like to assure that so long as we have the capability, efforts or financial ability…we will use them to help the people return to the lifestyle before the pandemic,” he said.
Muhyiddin was speaking at a ‘Sembang Santai’ session with the people of Sungai Terap sub-district in Warung Taufik, Sungai Terap here today.
Also present were the Prime Minister’ s wife, Puan Sri Norainee Abdul Rahman, Bukit Pasir assemblyman Najib Lep and Bukit Kepong assemblyman Datuk Dr Sahruddin Jamal.
Muhyiddin said in the one year since COVID-19 hit the country, the government had spent a huge amount of allocation to assist the people with a portion channeled via the PRIHATIN Rakyat Economic Stimulus Package.
He said all these efforts proved that the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government is concerned about the problems faced by the people.
“This is not being proud, arrogant, or being boastful. No.
“What this means is that this government is a government which cares about the problems of the people. We know and are aware that there are poverty and other problems faced by the people regardless of whether they are Malays, Chinese, Indians, indigenous people and so on. We will help all so that they could return to as before,” he said.
During the programme, the Prime Minister also presented welfare contributions to four individuals with each receiving a wheelchair and disposable diapers.
Earlier before going to Warung Taufik, Muhyiddin and wife also spent time visiting and mingling with senior citizens at a Senior Citizen Activity Centre (PAWE) in Bukit Pasir and handed over hampers to 30 senior citizens.
