KUCHING: The government should consider offering the Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine to be used as booster doses for those who are hesitant with the mix-and-match vaccine approach.
Aaron Tay Kok Tung, the treasurer of Federation of Chinese Associations in Kuching, Samarahan and Serian (Youth section) said although Sarawak had been actively carrying out its booster dose programme, some had refused to be inoculated.
"We are aware that some who were inoculated with Sinovac vaccines (for their first two doses) are hesitant to receive Pfizer vaccine as booster dose or the mix and match approach."
"They would rather postpone or cancel their vaccination booster dose appointment until the government approves Sinovac as a booster dose," he said in a statement today.
He said it was hoped that the Health Ministry and Malaysia's Drug Control Authority (DCA) could consider granting conditional approval for the Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine to be used as booster doses.
Tay said Pharmaniaga Bhd has also recently offered the Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine to the Health Ministry to cater to those who prefer to take this brand of vaccine as their booster shot.
"Therefore, the Health Ministry should look into the issue seriously and urgently and expedite the approval process.
"I believe once the Sinovac vaccine is approved as a booster dose, more people will come forward to be vaccinated with the additional dose," he said.
He said according to the Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian's Facebook post on Oct 11, stated that Sarawak has 140,000 doses of Sinovac vaccine available and stored in the fridge.
"These vaccines which could be used as a booster dose once it has been approved," he said.
Tay said it was necessary to ensure more people are vaccinated with the booster dose so as to reduce the Covid-19 infections and deaths, especially in Sarawak, where a state election is expected to be held anytime soon.
"We want to ensure the safety and health of everyone, particularly the voters, who will need to go out and vote on the polling day," he said.
"To date, some countries, such as China, Turkey, Chile, Indonesia and Cambodia, have approved the use of the Sinovac vaccine as a booster dose, which is proving safe."