KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 19 ― The government expects to receive the first batch of Covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer in February next year, said Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali.

He said Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin told the Cabinet this at a recent meeting.

"We expect the first delivery to be in February and it is the initial batch...the supply will continue until the end of 2021.

"The initial supply will be used to vaccinate the frontliners and vulnerable groups against Covid-19,” Mohamed Azmin, the Gombak Member of Parliament, told reporters after attending a programme in the constituency here today.

Mohamed Azmin said the government was trying to buy the Covid-19 vaccine from several other pharmaceutical companies.

"The government is making efforts to get a bigger supply of vaccine to meet our needs. The government will take the advice of the Health Ministry regarding the percentage of people who need to be vaccinated,” he added.

On November 24, Malaysia announced that it had secured an initial supply of 12.8 million doses of vaccine from Pfizer, enough to give free immunisation to 6.4 million Malaysians or 20 per cent of the population.

The first delivery of one million doses will be made in the first quarter of next year, which will be followed by 1.7 million doses (second quarter), 5.8 million doses (third quarter) and 4.3 million doses (fourth quarter). ― Bernama