KUALA LUMPUR: Vaccinating at least 80 per cent of all adults in Malaysia will be very important for the country to achieve herd immunity against Covid-19, said Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
The Prime Minister, through a posting on his Facebook page, said herd immunity would directly curb the spread of Covid-19, preventing the situation in the country from worsening.
Malaysia's first phase of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme rolls out this Wednesday, with Muhyiddin and Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah being the first to be inoculated.
The first phase, conducted between February and April, would also be for frontline workers, including healthcare practitioners and security forces, involving approximately 500,000 people.
The second phase (April-Aug 2021) would involve the elderly aged 65 years and above, high-risk groups and the disabled, involving 9.4 million people in total. Phase three (May 2021-Feb 2022) would be for 13.7 million Malaysians and foreigners aged 18 and above.
Muhyiddin urged those scheduled to be vaccinated in phases two and three to be patient and continue supporting the government's efforts in carrying out the vaccination campaign while the first phase is being conducted.
"Therefore, I also hope that all of you who are eligible to be vaccinated will sign up once registration is opened soon, and be vaccinated as scheduled.
"Congratulations to the Special Committee on Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee, all parties and agencies involved, especially the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry, Health Ministry, Transport Ministry, and Malaysia Airlines Bhd for ensuring the vaccine's safe arrival in Malaysia," Muhyiddin added.