NILAI, March 4 — Guidelines for taking the Covid-19 vaccine during Ramadan are expected to be issued by the end of this month, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Seri Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri.

He said that the guidelines were to provide a better understanding among Muslims on taking the vaccine while fasting, as the public is expected to receive the shot this April, which is the beginning of Ramadan in the country.

"Vaccination guidelines during Ramadan, as we have seen in the fatwas, that it is allowed in terms of taking the vaccine shot, however, our official guidelines will be issued before Ramadan,” he said.

Zulkifli said this to reporters after officiating the ‘Yadim Peduli: Musa’adah dan Sanitasi Masjid’ programme here today.

The second phase of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme involving senior citizens aged 65 and above, high-risk groups, as well as persons with disabilities (PwD), all involving some 9.4 million people, is expected from April to August.

Currently, the first phase of the programme is ongoing nationwide, involving 500,000 frontliners, since it started on February 24 with the Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin becoming the first individual in the country to receive the vaccine. — Bernama