KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government has begun administering Covid-19 vaccine booster dose to senior citizens aged 60 and above from today, said state Community Development and People’s Well-being Minister Datuk Shahelmey Yahya.

He said before this, Sabah had started dispensing the booster dose to health and security frontliners on Oct 20.

“The purpose is to ensure vaccine recipients receive the optimum level of protection against Covid-19 infection.

“Individuals eligible to receive booster dose are those who have been fully vaccinated with the Comirnaty (Pfizer) vaccine at least six months after the second dose and those vaccinated with Coronavac (Sinovac) at least three months from the second dose,” he said in a statement here today.

He said the booster dose is given free under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) and individuals who wish to receive the booster dose can come directly to the stipulated Vaccination Centre (PPV).

In this regard, Shahelmey urged all individuals aged 60 and above and are eligible to come forward for the shot quickly to optimise the level of protection for themselves, their families and communities.

Meanwhile, he said up to Tuesday (Oct 26), 76.6 percent of the adults in the state had received the first dose of the vaccine while 72.5 of the same group had completed two doses of the vaccination. — Bernama