Datuk Sebastian Ting
MIRI (June 25): The public should not worry themselves on Covid-19 vaccine mix-and-match because it has not been implemented, said Assistant Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Datuk Sebastian Ting.
He said he had been receiving a lot of enquiries from the public following the announcement by Miri Division Disaster Management Committee (MDDMC) that the National Youth Training Institute (IKBN) Miri vaccination centre (PPV) will begin administering Sinovac vaccines from June 26 onwards.
“The announcement said June 25 will be the last day of administering the AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccine at IKBN PPV, and it was referring to those who got AZ as their first dose,” he explained.
Ting also revealed that many had told him they were cancelling their appointment at the IKBN PPV because they were quite apprehensive against the AZ vaccine.
“Clearly, more clarification needed to keep the public informed, so that the vaccination programme could be proceed smoothly,” he added.
On June 24, MDDMC minister-in-charge Datuk Lee Kim Shin revealed that he has been informed by the state medical director and Miri Division health office on public queries on the type of vaccine used at IKBN PPV.
Lee said some members of the public who were assigned to IKBN PPV had voiced their apprehension as they decline to be administered with the AZ vaccine.
Thus, Sinovac will begin to be administer from June 26 onwards, he added.