However, he said this was still being considered by the ministry’s experts, in view of the emergence of the Omicron variant, the decline of vaccine efficacy in recipients, as well as public complacency towards the virus after their second jab.
In a programme aired on Astro Awani, Khairy said the matter will be finalised after evaluating the situation in other countries that had implemented similar measures.
“Some countries have decided to make booster shots a requirement for someone to be categorised as fully vaccinated. We have yet to make a policy stand, but based on developments in other countries, it might go in that direction.
“This means that to be fully vaccinated, one has to have their booster dose. However, this has not been implemented here yet. The experts are studying the effectiveness of booster shots, and will make recommendations to the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force-Booster (CITF-B) after that.
“If we see cases and hospital admissions rising due to people’s refusal to get booster doses, and if it becomes the norm internationally to require booster jabs for one to be deemed fully vaccinated, then we will follow suit,” he said.
Khairy did not deny the possibility that the nation would be facing a new wave of infections as well as higher hospitalisation and Covid-19 death rates if the take-up of booster doses remained low.
He pointed out that Israel saw a wave of infections despite having among the fastest vaccination rates previously. It then rolled out booster doses, which helped to reduce cases.
The Rembau MP said one of the reasons why many were not going for their booster doses was the lack of accurate information on the necessity for the third jab.
He added that many were no longer as afraid of the pandemic as before, when the Delta variant was first detected in Malaysia.
“Right now, we might become the victims of our own success. Because we’ve succeeded in reducing the number of cases, people have grown neglectful.
“Some say there’s no need to get another jab, that the hospitals aren’t as crowded as before. I want to urge them against taking this matter lightly.”
CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST DATA ON THE COVID-19 SITUATION IN MALAYSIA