PETALING JAYA: Medical experts are seeing a surge in last minute rush for booster shots as the April 1 deadline looms for Sinovac recipients.

       Medical Practitioners Coalition Association of Malaysia president Dr Raj Kumar Maharajah said he has seen last minute appointments being made since Tuesday in his clinic’s Malaysia Vaccine Administration System (MyVAS) system since yesterday, today and even tomorrow, said Dr Raj, who is also a private practitioner in Selangor, yesterday.

       Dr Raj said he even had to collect vaccines from the district health office mid-week.

       With the looming deadline, Dr Raj urged Sinovac recipients to slot their appointments quickly with their nearest available general practitioner (GP).

       “They should also accept whatever vaccine that is available,” he said.

       The Health Ministry had set a deadline of April 1 for all Sinovac primary vaccine recipients aged 18 and above and senior citizens aged 60 years and above to get their booster dose in order to maintain their complete vaccination status.

       The deadline was previously set on Feb 28 but was extended till March 31.

       On April 1, the complete vaccination status will be changed to incomplete if Sinovac recipients have not received their booster dose.

       Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia (APHM) president Datuk Dr Kuljit Singh concurred that there is a flurry of appointments being made on MySejahtera.

       Dr Kuljit advised Sinovac recipients not to panic, but to schedule their appointments as soon as possible.

       “We are also very concerned because we don’t want an increase in infection especially at this point of time when we are reopening borders. We want everyone to be protected and it is also for their own benefit to be safe and fully vaccinated,” he said.

       Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said there would not be new vaccination centres opened up for the last minute Sinovac recipients.

       “It is not cost effective to open up PPV when there is a limited volume of patients. They can use the GP clinics or health clinics for their vaccination,” he said.