Malaysia to sign deal for AstraZeneca vaccine

The government last month ordered 12.8 million doses of the Pfizer Inc.-BioNTech SE vaccine to inoculate about 20% of the population.

Malaysia will sign an agreement on Monday for AstraZeneca Plc. to supply Covid-19 vaccine doses to cover a fifth of the country’s population, state news agency Bernama reported, citing Health Minister Adham Baba.

People wearing protective masks cross a street, amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.(Reuters/ File photo)

The government last month ordered 12.8 million doses of the Pfizer Inc.-BioNTech SE vaccine to inoculate about 20% of the population. It also has an agreement with the World Health Organization’s Covax facility for enough doses to vaccinate 10% of its people, Bernama reported.

The country will start vaccinating frontline workers early next year if the deals are concluded, Bernama cited the minister as saying.

Malaysia seeks to vaccinate 70% of its population, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said this month. The country is struggling to contain a fresh wave of cases that emerged in late September, with new daily infections hitting a record 2,234 on December 10.