Malaysia has secured a total of 66.7 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, enough to cover its entire population, according to a handbook setting out the country’s vaccination programme launched on 16 February.

Last year, Malaysia’s population was estimated at 32.73 million.

Malaysia has signed an agreement with the US’s Pfizer for a total of 32 million doses, enough to cover 50 percent of the population. The nation also ordered 12 million doses of Sinovac vaccine and 3.5 million doses from CanSinoBio, both from China, enough for another 29.75 percent of the population.

It also plans to receive 6.4 million doses of Russia’s Sputnik vaccine and 12.8 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine.

Except for the CanSinoBio vaccine, the rest will require two doses administered at varying intervals.

The vaccination programme is scheduled to start in Malaysia on 26 February.

In Indonesia, PT Bio Farma Indonesia (Persero) has begun production of 11 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine from raw materials provided by Sinovac.

The processing started on 13 February and is expected to be completed on March 20, said Persero spokesman Bambang Hariyanto. Of the total, nine million doses will be ready to be administered on governmental officials.

In early this month, Sinovac has provided 11 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Indonesia, raising the total doses the country has secured to 28 million.

According to the Indonesian Ministry of Health, the country confirmed more 10,029 new COVID-19 cases on February 16, bringing the national tally to more than 1.23 million cases. The death toll increased by 229 to 33,596 people.

Source: VNA