PUTRAJAYA: The Health Ministry is currently developing guidelines on third doses and booster shots for Covid-19 vaccines, which will be tabled in the next Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee Special Committee (JKJAV) meeting.

       "I am confident that we can start giving the third dose first and then the booster shots starting from next month once we get the views and clinical guidelines from experts," minister Khairy Jamaluddin told a press conference here on Friday (Sept 24).

       He added that Pfizer has made a registration with the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) for its dossier on third and booster shots.

       "We will approve it as soon as possible," he said.

       Khairy explained that there is a distinction between a booster shot and the third dose of Covid-19 vaccine.

       "The third dose is given to those who may not have gotten the level of protection they need from the first two doses.

       "And they require a third dose to achieve an optimum immune response.

       "Booster shots are given to those who have enough immune response after receiving two doses of vaccine, but its response is slowly going down," he added.