KUALA LUMPUR – Registration process for COVID-19 vaccination is part of making an appointment, said Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
Replying to a tweet today regarding the reason for the registration process posed by Twitter user Dr Ungku Shahrin @ungshah, Khairy said registered individuals would then be given further details about their vaccination.
“Then they will be given the stipulated date, time, and place based on the info given, for example where they live which may not be the same as their IC address,” he said.
In another Tweet, he explained that members of the public needed to register for the vaccination so that their information could be entered into the appointments management system.
“Most countries give out vaccinations based on appointments. Asking people to just show up will create huge queues or wastage. The appointments management system will also assist with vaccine logistics – how many to send where,” he said.
Previously, Khairy, who is also the coordinating minister for the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme, had announced that the registration for COVID-19 vaccination for members of the public would kick off next month, adding that there were five ways for the public to sign up for the vaccine.
It could be done via the MySejahtera application, the JKJAV (Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee Special Committee) website which would be launched next week, by calling the hotline, through manual registration at public and private clinics and hospitals, or through assisted registration for those living in rural areas, he added.
Innoculation to start end of month
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba in a related development said some 126,000 people are expected to be vaccinated per day at 600 locations nationwide beginning late February.
He said seven officers would be placed at each of the 600 locations to conduct the inoculations.
“Each of the seven vaccinators is able to inoculate 30 people per day, meaning for each locality or area, a total of 210 people can be vaccinated in a day,” he said when met by reporters during the Johor Health Department’s integrated operation with the state’s Labour Department to inspect foreign workers’ hostels in Jalan Seelong, Senai, here, today.
Dr Adham said the first phase recipients of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine from the end of this month until April were frontline personnel, which included members of the MOH, Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM), Royal Malaysian Police, and Civil Defence Force.
According to him, the second phase which is expected to begin sometime in March involves the high-risk group comprising senior citizens aged 60 and above and the vulnerable group with morbidity problems, such as heart disease, obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure, as well as persons with disabilities.
“They have to fill in a form, either downloaded through the MySejahtera application or we will get a task force to send it manually a week before the vaccination, so they (recipients) do not have to wait long at the vaccination counter.
“We only need them (recipients) to consent to the vaccination, and we will make sure that they will be given a proper schedule on when to come and get inoculated, and prevent everyone from coming at the same time,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dr Adham said foreign workers, especially those who were among the frontliners such as doctors, pharmacists and dentists, would also receive free vaccinations.
“However, we will prioritise locals under the COVID-19 National Immunisation Plan first before looking at the foreigners working in other high-risk sectors,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Tenggara MP also dispelled the public’s perception of the delay in rolling out the vaccines in the country.
“Many people think there is a supply problem in Europe, but I guarantee in terms of the supply for Malaysia, that I have been able to secure the vaccine lots required for us to implement the immunisation plan,” he said.
