KUALA LUMPUR: Those who received two doses of the Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine will lose their fully vaccinated status if they do not get their booster shot by February 2022.
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said those over 18 who received two Sinovac doses, as well as all fully vaccinated individuals over 60, regardless of their primary vaccine brand, must take their booster shots by February next year.
Failing which, their vaccination status will revert to incomplete and they would no longer benefit from privileges accorded to fully-vaccinated individuals.
The move, Khairy said, was among the government's additional measures to prevent another Covid-19 wave due to the Omicron variant.
The Technical Working Group is also discussing to shorten the interval period between the second vaccine dose and the booster dose and outcomes of the discussion will be notified soon, he said.
Mega Covid-19 vaccination centres (PPV) will also be reopened to expedite the administration of booster doses and this measure will start in the Klang Valley.
"All large-scale New Year celebrations will not be allowed. Guests attending private celebrations for Christmas and New Year must be screened for Covid-19 via self-tests before attending the events.
"More countries will also be listed as high-risk countries (due to Omicron variant transmission) and travellers from these countries will be fitted with digital trackers throughout their quarantine period," he said, during a press conference in Parliament, here, today.
Khairy said booster doses are crucial since many studies have suggested that both naturally-acquired immunity (from Covid-19 infections) or immunity derived from vaccination does not offer adequate protection against the Omicron variant.
"A recent study from the Kyoto University found that the Omicron variant is four times more infectious than the Delta variant and has a higher transmissibility rate.
"Another study from South Africa found that the Pfizer vaccine's effectiveness in preventing infections caused by Omicron reduced by 30 per cent.
"The Hong Kong University, meanwhile, found that two doses of the Sinovac vaccine is unable to produce enough neutralising antibodies against Omicron," he said.
Malaysia, on Thursday, reported its second Omicron variant case, involving an eight-year-old Malaysian girl, who arrived in Malaysia from Lagos, Nigeria on Dec 5, with her mother and sister.