Govt considering 'AZ first dose, Pfizer second dose' method - KJ
The Special Committee for Ensuring Access to Covid-19 Vaccine Supply (JKJAV) is looking into data on following up a shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine with a Pfizer jab.
According to co-chairperson Khairy Jamaluddin, the “mix-and-match” method could be implemented to improve vaccine efficacy against Covid-19 variants.
Speaking at a webinar hosted by the Oxford and Cambridge Society of Malaysia last night, he said Institute of Clinical Research (ICR) director Dr P Kalairasu had already presented a paper on the method to the JKJAV.
“We have some real-world data that we received from Germany about heterologous vaccinations using AstraZeneca for the first dose and Pfizer for the second dose, which has been shown to boost the neutralising antibodies and to be more effective against variants.
“We are watching this very closely. We don't want to make a quick decision on this before getting more data.
“The data points are coming in for heterologous vaccinations. Once the technical working group is clear on that, they will advise the committee that I chair with the Health Minister (Dr Adham Baba), and we will implement heterologous vaccinations,” Khairy said.
The science, technology and innovation minister appeared optimistic about the chances.
“It is possible that we will end up doing this because a lot of countries are doing this to boost the neutralising antibodies, the efficacy or effectiveness.
“And also when you are facing vaccine supply constraints, you can mix things up and ensure the effects of the vaccine are still there,” he explained.
Earlier this month, early data from a small trial by German researchers reportedly found improved immune responses after administering a mix of the AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines on 26 people.
Similar trials in Spain (involving 600 people) reportedly found that using the same mix triggered a potent immune response against Covid-19 as well.
AstraZeneca and Pfizer are two-shot vaccines. Both are approved for use in Malaysia.
As of now, the government does not employ the mix-and-match method.
The Beta B.1.351 variant, which originated from South Africa, is the most prevalent Covid-19 variant in Malaysia, with 123 reported cases as of June 10.
Cases of the Delta, Alpha, Eta and Kappa variants have also been detected.
Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said yesterday that these variants were causing some patients to develop serious symptoms and be warded in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Some hospital ICUs are now operating beyond capacity. - Mkini
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