Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – It is still too early to apply “vaccinepassport” as there are still many Malaysians who have yet to be vaccinated againstCOVID-19, said Malaysia's Director-general of Health Noor Hisham Abdullah on June 20.
Less than 10 percent of the Malaysian population have beenvaccinated, he said, adding that “vaccine passport” can only be valid if herd immunity is achieved,he noted.
He went on to say that Malaysia needs at least 2 – 3 monthsto increase vaccine supplies as well as its vaccination rate. Malaysia expectsto achieve herd immunity by November or December, he said.
As of June 19, about 5.67 million Malaysians have receivedCOVID-19 vaccines, of who 4.08 million, or 12.5 percent of the population, weregiven the first shot while 1.58 million are fully vaccinated.
To gain herd immunity, Malaysia targets to inoculate 89percent of its population or more than 26.1 million people.
On the same day, the Philippine government has signed asupply agreement for 40 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by theUS’s Pfizer/BioNTech in its biggest coronavirus vaccine deal to date.
Deliveries of the vaccine, among several brands ofcoronavirus vaccines allowed for emergency use in the Southeast Asian country,will begin “after eight weeks starting August,” said Carlito Galvez, head ofthe government's COVID-19 vaccine procurement.
The Philippines recorded 5,803 new COVID-19 cases over thelast 24 hours, raising its national count to 1,359,015.
The country of a 110-million population has had more than 2million people fully vaccinated so far since its vaccine rollout started onMarch 1. It aims to inoculate around 70 million people this year./.
Less than 10 percent of the Malaysian population have beenvaccinated, he said, adding that “vaccine passport” can only be valid if herd immunity is achieved,he noted.
He went on to say that Malaysia needs at least 2 – 3 monthsto increase vaccine supplies as well as its vaccination rate. Malaysia expectsto achieve herd immunity by November or December, he said.
As of June 19, about 5.67 million Malaysians have receivedCOVID-19 vaccines, of who 4.08 million, or 12.5 percent of the population, weregiven the first shot while 1.58 million are fully vaccinated.
To gain herd immunity, Malaysia targets to inoculate 89percent of its population or more than 26.1 million people.
On the same day, the Philippine government has signed asupply agreement for 40 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by theUS’s Pfizer/BioNTech in its biggest coronavirus vaccine deal to date.
Deliveries of the vaccine, among several brands ofcoronavirus vaccines allowed for emergency use in the Southeast Asian country,will begin “after eight weeks starting August,” said Carlito Galvez, head ofthe government's COVID-19 vaccine procurement.
The Philippines recorded 5,803 new COVID-19 cases over thelast 24 hours, raising its national count to 1,359,015.
The country of a 110-million population has had more than 2million people fully vaccinated so far since its vaccine rollout started onMarch 1. It aims to inoculate around 70 million people this year./.
VNA
