Today, the Ministry of Health (MoH) has agreed to grant conditional approval for the use of the CoronaVac vaccine produced by Sinovac Life Sciences Co. Ltd., China, and Pharmaniaga Lifesciences Sdn Bhd, Malaysia to teens aged 12 and above in the country. 

The decision was made through the 364th Meeting of the Drug Control Authority (DCA), held today, according to the Director-General of Health, Tan Sri Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah.

"However, the DCA recommends that the use of CoronaVac vaccine among teens aged 12 to 17 years old to be given priority to teens without any comorbidities and those with allergies or are not suitable to receive the Comirnaty vaccine." He added. "Evaluation for the use of CoronaVac in teens with comorbidities will proceed once sufficient data is submitted."

This is the second conditional approval of the COVID-19 vaccine for use in teens after a similar green light was given to the Cominarty vaccine, a Pfizer-BioNTech product in June 2021.