KUALA LUMPUR, April 17 — The number of Malaysians who have taken their Covid-19 booster vaccine doses is shrinking, which has led to an increase in the number of active cases recently, Utusan Malaysia reported today.

The Malay daily reported that only 818,420 Malaysians received the second booster dose as of April 11 compared to 16,325,561 people who went for their first dose.

"There is a possibility that the effectiveness of the vaccine is decreasing after more than six months of taking the last dose,” Professor Dr Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh, a community health specialist at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Faculty of Medicine was quoted as saying.

She said that not many Malaysians took the booster doses, especially the second booster dose after seeing Malaysia’s Covid-19 situation improve and everyday life returning to normal.

Dr Sharifa expressed concern about the low take-up rate for the booster shots in Malaysia, saying there were other people at high risk because they have weak natural antibodies.

She advised those with low immunity to go for the second booster shot to prevent complications if they contract Covid-19.

"Most recently, we found out that the Omicron variant can mutate and evade our antibodies and make the symptoms experienced worse and more dangerous,” she was quoted as saying.

In a separate report by The Star today, Dr Sharifa said those at high risk were the elderly, the obese, and those with high comorbidities and immunocompromised issues like diabetes and cancer.

Dr Sharifa and other local health experts advised Malaysians to wear face masks in public due to the recent surge in Covid-19 cases ahead of the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration this coming weekend.

"It is better to be safe than sorry. Get yourself vaccinated, including the boosters. If you’re at high risk, wear a mask in public areas when there are many people who may be transmitting or carrying the virus,” she was quoted saying by The Star.

The Star also reported Dr Moy Foong Ming of the University of Malaya’s Department of Social and Preventive Medicine saying that masking in public need not be made mandatory again due to the latest surge, but adding that people need to learn how to do what is necessary to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

"We are to co-exist with the virus. The public should have internalised the preventive measures and carry them out voluntarily when there is a surge in cases,” she was quoted as saying.

Malaysian Public Health Physicians Association president Datuk Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar also told The Star that face masks should be strongly encouraged rather than being made compulsory.

"I think the public will not be too receptive if mandatory masking and added regulations are imposed,” he was quoted as saying.

He added that individuals exhibiting symptoms should self-test and self-quarantine.

Medical epidemiologist associate professor at the University of Putra Malaysia Dr Malina Osman said that mandating masks should only be made if the increase in Covid-19 cases endangered the country’s healthcare system.

"Currently, there is no such indication, so there is no urgent need to make it compulsory,” she was quoted saying by The Star.

She emphasised the need to enhance public awareness so that the people could be responsible towards one another.

"In general, we have to be more cautious. As such people are encouraged to mask up in public, be mindful of hand hygiene and cough etiquette,” she was quoted as saying.