PUTRAJAYA: The AstraZeneca vaccine has been declared safe for use in the second phase of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (NIP).
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba said the 280,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine which had arrived in the country would be used for those aged 60 years and above.
"We have received 280,000 doses (of AstraZeneca vaccine) and we will use it," he said in a press conference today.
Dr Adham also said Pharmaniaga LifeScience Sdn Bhd would also produce 2 million doses of the "fill and finish" Sinovac vaccine for usage in phase two of the NIP.
Meanwhile, Health Ministry Institute for Clinical Research director Dr Kalairasu Peariasamy said a team of multi-disciplinary experts in the Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Guarantee Special Committee (JKJAV) had applied three conditions in deciding whether the AstraZeneca vaccine should be used in the country.
"The first is to see if the vaccine leads to a decrease in hospitalisation, a decrease in patients being warded in the intensive care unit, and a decrease in deaths because of Covid-19 risks.
"After going through all data, our panel has decided that the benefits outweigh the risks and that the (AstraZeneca) vaccine is suitable especially for those aged 60 years and above," he said.
Dr Kalairasu explained that in the United Kingdom, the AstraZeneca vaccine had been widely used for the elderly and did not showcase blood clots.
"(The European Union drug regulator) European Medicines Agency on April 7 has decided that AstraZeneca is suitable for use, and while blood clots are extremely rare, there is no scientific evidence that blood clots can be linked to the vaccines," he added.
The AstraZeneca vaccine, purchased through the Covax facility, arrived at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 8.20pm on Friday.