KUALA LUMPUR: Former Covid-19 patients will no longer have to wait three months after recovering from their infection to get their vaccine jabs.
The decision was made by the Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee Special Committee (JKJAV) after taking into account the opinion from health experts during its conference on July 8.
While recovery from natural infections provides immunity against re-infection for at least three months, JKJAV said the experts stressed the urgent need to inoculate ex-patients due to the emergence of new Covid-19 variants.
"Therefore, former Covid-19 patients who have been declared free from the virus are now allowed to be vaccinated at vaccination centres (PPV) according to the given appointments.
"However, former Covid-19 patients who received anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma as part of their treatment must wait for at least 90 days from the date of recovery to get their jabs.
"Until we have further information, this precautionary step is taken to prevent possible disruptions between their antibody treatment and the immune responses produced by the vaccine," JKJAV said in a statement today.
JKJAV also urged individuals who are waiting for their Covid-19 test results not to come to vaccination centres, regardless of whether they have vaccine appointments or to accompany others.
"Those who have to cancel their appointments will automatically be a given a new date," it added.