KUALA LUMPUR: The government may have to make the tough decision on making Covid-19 inoculation mandatory by this September if the number of vaccine registrations remains low.
Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said such a move was to achieve the desired herd immunity level by December, whereby 70 per cent of the population are vaccinated against the virus.
"September will be the critical point where we (see) if we can get to 70 per cent (of the people vaccinated) by December.
"(September is also when) we will have a greater supply of the vaccines. If we cannot get people to register, then the rate of those vaccinated will be lower.
"I told the cabinet that I will come back to them in September and we would have to decide and make the tough call of making Covid-19 vaccinations mandatory."
Khairy said this in an interview on the BFM Radio station's Health & Living show, today.
As of April 8, 8,309,480 people have registered to be inoculated against the coronavirus infection. Over half a million people have received their first Covid-19 dose, while 360,971 have received their second dose.
Phase 2 of the vaccination programme which will kick-off on 19 April and lasts through until August, for about 9.4 million senior citizens aged 60 and above, and high-risk groups.
Recipients will be notified of their appointments from Apr 5, two weeks before the vaccination date.
Phase 2 will kick off with Kedah, Melaka, Penang, Pahang, Sabah, Sarawak, Terengganu and the Federal Territory of Labuan, to be followed a few days later by other states according to the readiness of the vaccination centres and staff, he said.
Phase 3 would roll out from this May until February next year, aimed at vaccinating about 13.7 million citizens and non-citizens aged 18 and above.