Covid-19 vaccine selection to be finalised by early 2021

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin says the government is expected to decide on a Covid-19 vaccine by early next year, as data from several clinical tests will be analysed at year-end.

He said the ministry is holding talks with the health ministry, finance ministry and Attorney-General’s Chambers about the legal implications and procurement model for the vaccine.

“We are also in direct discussion with other international pharmaceutical companies for direct supply without having to undergo the Covid-19 Vaccine Global Access (Covax) allocation plan.

“I have also requested for an agreement with China to be finalised as soon as possible as the draft is almost completed,” he said after an event in Kuala Lumpur today.

Khairy also said negotiations with Covax on Malaysia’s participation in the facility to obtain the vaccine were ongoing.

“We are still discussing some matters with Covax. The facility is for early purchase, so the procurement model is quite extraordinary. We pay for something that still doesn’t exist,” he said.

Companies that have begun final clinical tests for Covid-19 vaccines are Moderna, Pfizer and BioNtech, AstraZeneca, University of Oxford and Johnson & Johnson.