Malaysia to buy Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine for children aged 5 to 11

Malaysia said on Friday (Oct 29) it would proceed with the procurement of the Pfizer and BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for children, following a United States expert panel’s recommendation for the shot to be authorised for those aged five to 11.

A panel of advisers to the US Food and Drug Administration voted on Tuesday to recommend the authorisation, saying the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks.

The agency’s decision is still pending.

Malaysia’s Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said on Twitter that other options, such as the vaccine made by China’s Sinovac BioTech, would also be considered to ensure schools can reopen safely.

About 62 per cent of teenagers aged between 12 and 17 in the South-east Asian country are fully vaccinated, government statistics showed on Friday.

REUTERS