This follows a claim circulating on social media that such vaccines administered in Sarawak had passed its expiry date.

Sarawak health director Dr Ooi Choo Huck dismissed the allegations, assuring the public that all Covid-19 vaccines were safe and effective.

In a statement today, Yii said clarification was needed to allay public concerns on the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine.

He said while he appreciated Ooi’s response on the matter, he believed the explanation should have been made clearer so that the public could understand the decision.

“This raises concerns among those taking what they perceive to be expired vaccines.

“This can cause hesitancy among the public, including here in Sarawak, and the perception that we are getting expired vaccines,” Yii said.

He added that he had sought an explanation on the approval in the last Dewan Rakyat sitting but had yet to get a clear answer from the health ministry.

Yii, who heads the parliamentary select committee (PSC) on health, science and innovation, also urged the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) and the government to provide further explanations on whether the extension would affect the effectiveness, safety and duration of the coverage of the vaccine.

“Having said that, I still encourage those that are in the high-risk groups to get vaccinated and boosted, especially to avoid a surge in cases after the Hari Raya celebration,” Yii said.

Previously, the NPRA approved an extension for the shelf life of Sinovac’s CoronaVac and Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccines.

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