KUALA LUMPUR: The government does not intend to make booster doses a mandatory condition for someone to be declared completely vaccinated against Covid-19 for Malaysians for now, the Dewan Rakyat was told on Thursday (Dec 2).

       Deputy Health Minister II Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang said that just like for the first and second dose shots, taking the booster dose was a voluntary decision.

       "Although the percentage in uptake of booster doses is relatively slow at 10.83% so far, we cannot make the booster shots mandatory. However, with the emergence of the Omicron variant which is of concern, we recommend that the booster dose be taken," he said during the question-and-answer session.

       He was replying to a supplementary question from Steven Choong Shiau Yoon (Ind-Tebrau) on whether the Health Ministry would make the booster dose a condition for a fully-vaccinated status and in his reply he added that 30-40% of fully-vaccinated people have declined to receive a booster dose.

       Aaron said the Ministry will continue to actively implement measures and campaigns to ensure that fully vaccinated recipients receive the booster dose. - Bernama