Bangkok, April 28, (dpa/GNA) – Malaysia will administer the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine on a voluntary basis and in parallel to the main immunization effort, according to Science Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
The jab « will not be used in the regular PPVs (vaccination centres), » the minister said, but will instead be offered at separate centres for those who want to take it « on a voluntary basis. »
Malaysia had earlier delayed deciding whether to deploy the British-Swedish jab, after rare reports in Europe of vaccinated people succumbing to fatal blood clots, before Health Minister Adham Baba on Monday said it would be used in the country and described it as « safe. »
The South-East Asian nation, which has reported almost 400,000 cases of the virus and 1,462 related deaths, had by Tuesday administered 1.3 million doses since starting vaccinating two months ago, according to official data shared by the health minister.
