Those eligible for COVID-19 booster shots can perform walk-in registrations at any vaccination centres (PPV) nationwide from next Monday (Nov 22).

In a statement yesterday, the COVID-19 Immunisation Task Force - Booster (CITF-B), said that apart from the walk-in method, registrations can also be made via telephone and email.

Currently, booster shots are prioritised for people under six categories, namely healthcare, security and defence frontliners; individuals aged 18 and above with comorbidities; individuals aged 40 and above; long-term healthcare centre workers and residents; pregnant mothers; and, those who need to travel overseas.

The walk-in registration would enable those eligible for booster jabs to receive their shots earlier than their appointment dates.

Registered individuals would be put on a waiting list, and contacted by private medical practitioners at the said PPVs should there any appointment cancellations or 'no shows' by those with MySejahtera vaccine appointments.

Besides booster shot recipients, registration via walk-in is also available for those who have yet to receive their first or second dose of COVID-19 vaccine, as well as those who missed their appointments, and adolescents aged 12 to 17 who have yet to complete their inoculation.

To date, more than one million booster shots have been administered nationwide.

The list of the PPVs providing walk-in/telephone/email registration for appointment will be announced on www.protecthealth.com.my from Nov 22.

According to experts, a booster shot of the COVID-19 vaccine is needed as the effects of the first two doses of the vaccine decrease a few months after the second dose.

Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah had also yesterday warned that there is a surge in workplace and education institution-related clusters in the last few days, causing the country's COVID-19 infectivity rate (Rt) to shoot up to 1.05, from 0.96 at the beginning of this month.

The number of COVID-19 patients in Categories 3 to 5 (needing treatment at health facilities to intubation at intensive care units) are also on the rise in all states, except Perlis, Perak, Kuala Lumpur, Melaka and Johor, he said in a statement posted on his official Facebook account.

To date, more than 2.55 million people have been infected with COVID-19 in the country, while 29,769 people have died from it.

The global coronavirus infection and death tally has surpassed 255 million, and 5.12 million, respectively.


Photo source: Astro Awani