Forget the brands, all vaccines are good, says Muhyiddin

KANGAR: There is no need to be worried about the brands of Covid-19 vaccines used in the country’s immunization program because the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency has approved each vaccine (NPRA).

All vaccines used in the national Covid-19 immunization program have been tested and found to be safe and reliable, according to Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

“They (vaccines) have all been tested and approved and I am confident that when the immunization program is being properly implemented by the management committee, it will give us a lot of advantages.

After visiting the Covid-19 vaccine administration center at the Kampung Gial Health Clinic here today, he told reporters.  “If the number of Covid-19 cases drops because many people receive their (vaccine) shots, the economy can be revived faster and that will benefit the people as they can resume working and earning a living while businesses can run as usual,”  

As a result, he urged everyone to register for vaccination on the MySejahtera app as soon as possible, even though they would have to wait a long time.

“This is important for the country because we want, at this early stage, at least 60% of the people to receive the vaccine so we can achieve herd immunity even though our target is to vaccinate 80% of the country’s population.

“Once vaccinated, we may be allowed to travel…to make an overseas trip, one may be asked to produce his or her vaccination record,” he said.

Muhyiddin said the matter could be referred to the ministries of science, technology, and innovation and the health ministry in response to the Malaysian Pharmacists Society’s request that community pharmacists be included among the vaccine recipients in Phase 1 of the immunisation program.

“Some people want to get the vaccine earlier than others because they are dealing with lots of people or facing bigger threats as the frontliners…but everybody will get the vaccine eventually, just be patient,” he added.

Muhyiddin had earlier arranged a closed-door two-hour meeting with the Perlis Perikatan Nasional (PN) liaison committee at a hotel here. The meeting’s purpose, according to Perlis liaison committee chairman Mohd Shukri Ramli, was to confirm the committee members’ appointments and share their perspectives on the country’s current situation, especially the Covid-19 situation.

Muhyiddin is in Perlis for a one-day business trip.