Seeking KJ’s assistance and assurance that ensure all recipients of vaccine under Johor ImmuPlan are given Pfizer

Johor Immunity Planning System (IMMU Plan) is the Johor Government’s effort to help 100,000 Malaysians working in Singapore, with valid working permits or employment letters, to be vaccinated against Covid-19, and registration has started since April 29.

The ImmuPlan vaccination programme will begin its operations on the 29th of July 2021. This effort of Johor State Government is applaudable.

However, there is still one concern that needs to be addressed.

The Sinovac vaccine is currently allowed to be administered in Singapore under the special access route, after it was approved for emergency use by the World Health Organization (WHO). However, those who have received the Sinovac vaccine do not count towards its national vaccination targets.

In other words, when we finally open the Malaysia-Singapore border and there is mutual recognition of COVID19 vaccination, there is a possibility that those vaccinated with Sinovac will not be deemed as fully vaccinated by Singapore authorities.

What are the possible consequences?

1. If and when Singapore shortens the quarantine period for those fully vaccinated, those vaccinated with Sinonac will not be given such treatment. Currently, travellers from Malaysian to Singapore need to go through a 14-day quarantine period.
2. Singapore authorities previously said that there will be differentiated safe management measures for people vaccinated under their national programme. Malaysians working in Singapore won’t be included if they are vaccinated with Sinovac.

I take note of the latest development that Sinovac has recently submitted the required safety data for its vaccine as part of its application for the Pandemic Special Access Route approval to Singapore Government. It is therefore possible that the Singapore Government will extend the concessions on safe management measures to individuals who have received the Sinovac very soon.

However until that happens, Malaysians travelling and working in Singapore will need the kind assistance of KJ to ensure that they will be given Pfizer under Immuplan.