The Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia (APHM) said that given the success of the opt-in drive over the weekend – when 268,000 people registered in a matter of hours – the government should offer a similar programme for vaccines like those from Pfizer-BioNTech, Sinovac and others that arrive.

“This could be tightly regulated by the Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee Special Committee based on stock availability without depriving any vulnerable group,” APHM president Dr Kuljit Singh said.

“The proposed ad hoc vaccination from time to time can be managed by private hospitals based on MySejahtera appointments.”

In a statement, Kuljit said this would be of great help to those who require early vaccinations, such as economic frontliners and those who need to travel internationally.

“We believe that once there is public confidence on the vaccine availability and options to get inoculated early, then a lot of speculation and false news spread by various parties will cease.”

On rumours spread online that some private hospitals were selling vaccines, Kuljit said APHM had yet to receive any such information from any of its members.

The AstraZeneca vaccine was removed from the national rollout plan after public concern over its safety, with some evidence it causes blood clots in extremely rare cases.

In order not to waste a vaccine “that is proven to be safe and effective”, coordinating minister for the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme Khairy Jamaluddin said the vaccine would now only be available to those who want it, beginning in the Klang Valley.

He has since said that with 1.1 million more doses of AstraZeneca arriving this month, the option to sign up for the vaccine would be opened up in other states, with the exception of Sarawak, which has declined the use of the vaccine.