KUALA LUMPUR: Gerakan has urged the Health Ministry to arrange for booster shots for those aged 60 and above as soon as possible to protect against the Covid-19 Delta variants.

Its president Datuk Dr Dominic Lau said based on research data announced by the Health Maintenance Organisation in Israel (HMO Maccabi), a third vaccine dose was 86 per cent more effective on people aged 60 years and over, and also protected against the Delta variant.

"In the last month, the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had officially approved a third vaccine dose for those with low immune systems.

"At the moment, 10 countries have given a third dose to their citizens, including Israel, Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, Cambodia, and even our neighbouring country Singapore will also give a third dose to the elderly above the age of 60 and have received two vaccine doses between six to nine months ago," he said in a statement today. 

Lau pointed out that the elderly were still in a high-risk group, adding that the government should give priority to them, especially those living in care centres so they can receive the booster shot as soon as possible.

"According to statistics from the Health Ministry, 81 per cent of deaths among the vaccinated involved those with comorbidities and 80 per cent of them were the elderly aged 60 and above.

"These statistics prove that the elderly are the highest risk group, so the third injection becomes very important for them."

Lau said as the government gradually opened up economic sectors, the strategy to give a third injection to the at-risk groups became crucial to maintain the country's economic recovery.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2021/09/726166/gerakan-urges-booster-shots-senior-citizens