Khairy: Sarawak to administer booster shot

The booster dose, scheduled to start in October, will be given to high-risk groups and those with serious comorbidities 

by S BIRRUNTHA / pic by MUHD AMIN NAHARUL

SARAWAK will be the first state to administer a booster dose of the Covid-19 vaccine to those who have already received two doses starting in October, according to Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar. 

However, the minister noted that currently his ministry is still in the process of preparing clinical guidelines for the implementation of the booster shot, and among those being studied include whether the recipient would be given the same type of vaccine as the previous two doses or other appropriate types of vaccine. 

“At the initial stage, the booster dose will be given to high-risk groups such as the elderly and those with serious comorbidities. 

“We will start this in October as soon as the clinical guidelines for booster doses are ready,” he said in a press conference after the Special Meeting on Immunisation and Pandemic Management with members of the Sarawak State Disaster Management Committee yesterday. 

Khairy also did not rule out the possibility that the booster dose would be given to those who are healthy, as well as those under the age of 60 in the future. 

However, he said the ministry’s focus at this point is the high-risk group who are more likely to be admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) and die if infected with the virus. 

“In other countries, the practice is also the same, where booster doses are given to the elderly and individuals with serious comorbidities. 

“Many countries have yet to approve the booster shot for the entire population,” he said. 

Khairy further explained that the US Food and Drug Administration has also approved booster dose injections to individuals aged 65 and above. 

“We use the resources available at this time to those who really need it first compared to other individuals,” he added. 

Sarawak is one of the first states to complete the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme, in which 89.3% of its adult population has completed two doses of Covid-19 vaccine as of Sept 25. 

Meanwhile, Khairy also announced the establishment of a National Rapid Response Task Force in Sarawak to help reduce cases in the state, as well as to conduct rapid tests and isolate those who were found positive. 

He also noted that the Health Ministry (MoH) has approved an additional allocation of RM3 million to the Sarawak government for the purpose of treating non-Covid-19 patients. 

“The amount was in addition to the RM5 million allocation of which RM4.6 million had been spent. 

“This is for procedures such as surgery that had to be postponed and now, we (MoH) want to send it to private hospitals,” he said. 

Commenting further, Khairy said the federal government will send 20 ventilators and 30 ambulances to Sarawak soon. 

He said MoH will intensify the virtual Covid-19 Assessment Centre in major cities in Sarawak such as Bintulu, Kuching and Sibu which have extensive Internet access. 

According to him, those who are confirmed positive or close contact will be given a digital Home Surveillance Order (HSO) without requiring them to wear a pink bracelet. 

“However, I want to remind people that just because they do not wear a pink bracelet, does not mean they can break the HSO’s standard operating procedures. 

“When they check in at premises with MySejahtera and if their status appears red, we will know and alert the police,” he said. 

On that note, Khairy also said that a total of 64 medical officers will be sent to Sarawak next week and his ministry has already sent 118 units of ventilators as well as 1,008 oxygen cylinders which will arrive tomorrow via the Royal Malaysian Air Force. 

“We will also add a modular ICU. So far, there are 10 modular ICUs with an additional 20 beds at Sibu Hospital,” he said. 

Khairy added that he will hold discussions with the Malaysian Armed Forces to set up another field hospital in Sibu to meet the state government’s request. 

He said subsequently, MoH will expedite the opening of Sri Aman Hospital, which will meet the needs of medical facilities at Sarawak General Hospital (HUS) in Kuching. 

“We hope this would indirectly reduce the burden borne by HUS in managing Covid-19 patients and other patients who need specialist attention,” he noted.