Only Pfizer Covid-19 booster shots are allowed in Sarawak

KUCHING - Sarawak Health Department stated that only the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 Comirnaty vaccine will be used as booster shots for the state's immunisation programme.

State Health Department Deputy Director (Public Health) Dr Rosemawati Ariffin if the Pfizer receiver shows any contraindication or allergic reaction towards the vaccine, only then the Sinovac vaccine (CoronaVac) will be considered.

"Administration of booster dose will be taking certain aspects into consideration including high-risk groups and time gaps between the primer dose of the vaccine taken before," she said in a statement today.

The statement was in response to Bukit Asel assemblyman Irene Mary Chan Oi Ling's question on Nov 10, who asked why Sabah were using Sinovac as booster dose while Sarawak used Pfizer.

Dr Rosemawati said the booster dose administration process in Sarawak follows the latest Health Ministry policy whereby only Pfizer vaccines (Comirnaty) were allowed as booster shots to Pfizer or Sinovac prime dose recipients.

“This policy is aligned with the circular and instructions by the ministry for the implementation of booster shots and third dose administration," she said.

Over 122,000 people in Sarawak will be getting the Covid-19 booster shots from October onwards. From that, around 11,900 individuals have low body-immunity systems due to diseases and medical treatment.

The booster shot will also be given to 80,300 senior citizens 60-years old and above as well as 30,340 medical front-liners statewide.- Awani