SEPANG: Malaysia today highlighted the need for countries around the world to come out with clear and uniform travel policies involving travellers fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
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The absence of such policies will only elicit confusion with several countries only recognising certain vaccines under their respective vaccine passport schemes.
Covid-19 National Immunisation Programme (NIP) Coordinating Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said as of now, a majority of countries have yet to finalise their immigration policies involving travellers who have been fully vaccinated.
“Discussions over the matter with other countries are still on-going, especially with strategic nations such as Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the United Kingdom, the United States and China.
“These countries are among the most popular destinations for Malaysians for tourism or work purposes.
“There must be a policy (involving travellers who have been fully vaccinated) which is agreed by all countries,” said Khairy, who is Science, Technology and Innovation Minister.
He was asked to comment on the future of international travel after several countries only recognised certain brands of vaccines under their respective vaccine passport schemes.
It was reported that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) only approved AstraZeneca vaccines manufactured in the EU, the United States, the United Kingdom and China.
The report added that the EMA’s approval does not cover AstraZeneca doses made by South Korea’s SK Bioscience or Thailand’s Siam Bioscience.
There were also reports that residents in Singapore who were administered with Sinovac jabs will not enjoy the same privilege as those who received Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
This raises concerns and likelihood that those with Sinovac shots will also not be eligible for other easing measures that are forthcoming.
Khairy also reiterated Malaysia’s stand that Covid-19 vaccines approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO) should be recognised by all countries.
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This is because there are countries including Malaysia which have several vaccine portfolios under the national vaccination drive.
“If there is no recognition (for other types of vaccines), at least provide some compromise for travellers as long as they have been fully vaccinated,” he said.
Earlier, Khairy visited the industry vaccination centre (PPVIN) at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) here for frontline aviation workers at the airport.
The KLIA PPVIN which started operations yesterday from 8am until 6pm has the capacity of administering up to 1,000 vaccinations daily.
It was opened to facilitate and expedite vaccination for about 22,000 workers from the aviation and other related-industries at KLIA.
Khairy said the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) will expand the PPVIN for the aviation sector at other airports around the country.
“Although the sector is operating with reductions in the number of flights, it is still an important sector for the country.
“That is why we want to expand the PPVIN to other states to protect the workforce at the airports in other states against the virus,” he said.
To date, Khairy said there are 27 PPVINs for the economic sector involving the International Trade and Industry Ministry, Works Ministry and Transport Ministry.
The CITF, he said, will also make its decision soon on the request from the Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry as well as the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry to start a vaccination drive for those in these sectors.
“We will make a decision soon including the number of doses that will be distributed for these sectors,” he said.-NST