KUALA LUMPUR: All recipients of the Sinovac and Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccines as well those above 60 who have not taken their booster shots, will lose their fully-vaccinated status, starting April 1.
However, they will still be allowed to dine in at restaurants and enter shopping malls, workplaces and places of worship, like other fully-vaccinated individuals.
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said their primary vaccination history would also be retained in the MySejahtera application.
"Therefore, premises owners must ensure that only customers or patrons, who have at least completed their primary doses, enter business premises, places of worship and other related places.
"However, this new standard operating procedure (SOP) does not mean that Sinovac vaccine recipients as well as those aged 60 and above need not get their booster shots.
"A data evaluation conducted among vaccine recipients in Malaysia found that protection against Covid-19 declined by 20 per cent for Pfizer vaccine recipients and by 48 per cent for Sinovac vaccine recipients within three to five months after completing their primary doses.
"Getting booster shots will increase the antibody levels again, and hence, prevent severe Covid-19 infections among recipients.
"The Health Ministry thus, urges those who have not received their booster jabs to do so immediately," he said in a statement today.
A person is considered to have completed primary vaccination after the 14th day of his or her second dose, for double-dose vaccines (Pfizer, Astrazeneca and Sinovac) as well as single-dose vaccines (Johnson & Johnson and CanSino).
However, Khairy said travellers from other countries would only be allowed to enter premises if they had completed their primary doses and received their booster shots.