KUALA LUMPUR, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia has secured sufficient stocks of China's Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine to meet local demand, Malaysian pharmaceutical company Pharmaniaga said on Friday.
The vaccine will be used for adults and children and as additional boosters for adults at private hospitals and clinics across the country, the company said in a statement.
Pharmaniaga group's managing director Zulkarnain Md Eusope noted the concern over the rise in fresh COVID-19 infections in the country and urged the public to get their shots and boosters, with the inoculation rate of boosters lower than those of the first and second shots.
"As of October 2022, only 49 percent of Malaysians have received their COVID-19 vaccine booster dose," he said, adding that Pharmaniaga is partnering with a healthcare provider to ensure the shot is available at 50 selected private hospitals and clinics.
The Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine has featured prominently in the country's efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Other Chinese vaccines widely used in Malaysia include the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine and the CanSino COVID-19 vaccine.
Malaysia has seen a spike in new COVID-19 infections in recent weeks, with 3,436 new cases being reported on Thursday alone. The country has registered a total of 4,940,456 cases since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. ■
