SHAH ALAM, Dec 9 — The Selangor State Assembly was told today that the state Health Department has dispensed 231,533 COVID-19 vaccine booster shots as at Nov 20, 2021.
State Public Health, Unity, Women and Family Development Committee chairman Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud said 157,000 individuals received the free booster shots through the SelVAX (Selangor Vaccination) Booster Programme, launched yesterday and has yet to have complete data.
She said administering the booster shots was a follow-up to the approval of the use of the Sinovac vaccine as a booster dose by the Drug Control Authority on Nov 17.
“Further information on the SelVAX Booster Programme in Selangor state constituencies will be announced soon after the state government provides details of standard operating procedures,” she said.
She said this in reply to a question from Wong Siew Ki (PH-Balakong) on the COVID-19 vaccine and Rozana Zainal Abidin (PH-Permatang) on the Selangor Free Mammogram Screening Programme (MAMMOSEL).
Dr Siti Mariah said from 2010 till now, the Selangor government is continuing with MAMMOSEL, and 53,364 have benefited comprising 29,225 Malays, Chinese (17,616), Indians (6,360) and Others (163).
She said according to a study by the Malaysia Medical Association (MMA), the people most at risk of getting breast cancer were those 50 and above while those aged 35 to 50 were less at risk.
“These less-risk groups will usually only get a basic scan. From the findings of the study and in order for this programme to be fully utilised by the affected groups, the improvement of eligibility requirements by raising the age level from 35 years to 50 has been agreed upon by the state government through the decision of the State Executive Council.
“Apart from that, the examination method has also been improved by providing biopsy procedure borne by the state government worth up to RM2,500 per person,” she added.
