Malaysia has recently signed a deal with Pfizer for 12.8 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine. Malaysia is the first country in Southeast Asia to announce a deal with the company after some expressed concerns over the need for ultra-cold storage.
On Friday, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said: “Malaysia would prioritise high-risk groups… including frontliners, senior citizens, and those with non-communicable diseases, such as heart diseases and diabetes.”
Pfizer will deliver the first one million doses in the first quarter of 2021, with 1.7 million, 5.8 million and 4.3 million doses to follow in subsequent quarters.
The deal is expected to cover 6.4 million Malaysians, or 20 per cent of the population, with another 10 per cent to be covered under Malaysia’s participation in the global COVAX facility, backed by the World Health Organization.
Malaysia, which will distribute the vaccine to its people for free, reported 1,109 new COVID-19 infections on Friday.
