He said the guidance from WHO should serve as a reference for all countries as every brand of vaccine recommended was meant for emergency use to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said the issue of discrimination against certain types of vaccines in use would not arise if the whole world abided by WHO’s recommendations.

Khairy said the European Union (EU) currently only accepted the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines, while China approved only vaccines manufactured by China, namely Sinovac and Sinopharm.

“The question is whether countries around the world will agree to accept all vaccines that have received emergency use approval by WHO.

“WHO must really step up right now and ask the world and its countries to recognise vaccines that are listed by WHO. Otherwise, we will have countries that discriminate based on vaccines given, and that is not a way to get out from this pandemic together,” he said.

Khairy said refugees in Malaysia would be given the CanSino vaccine as it involves a single-dose vaccination.

“It is easier for us to administer the single-dose vaccination because of the nature of their presence, and (involving) matters of access. We have negotiated for CanSino and will receive it at the end of July,” he added.

Khairy was at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil today, inspecting the opening-day operations of the vaccination centre there.

Khairy said the centre is expected to achieve its maximum capacity of administering 10,000 shots a day in less than two weeks.

The centre administered 3,000 jabs today, which is expected to increase to 5,000 doses daily within three days, he said.

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