Malaysia is expected to receive its first COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer in the first quarter of 2021 after signing a deal for 12.8 million doses from the US manufacturer, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said on Friday.
The deal is expected to cover 6.4 million Malaysians, or 20 percent of the population, with another 10 percent to be covered under Malaysia's participation in the global COVAX facility, backed by the World Health Organization.
Pfizer has agreed to deliver the first one million doses in the first quarter of 2021, with 1.7 million doses, 5.8 million and 4.3 million to follow in subsequent quarters, Muhyiddin said.
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The vaccination programme would prioritise "high-risk groups... including frontliners, senior citizens, and those with non-communicable diseases, such as heart diseases, diabetes," he said during a televised news conference.
The Pfizer vaccine still requires approvals from regulator including the US Food and Drug Administration and Malaysia's Health Ministry before it can be distributed, Muhyiddin said.
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