Khairy: Covid-19 vaccination appointment notifications to start Monday (April 5)

PETALING JAYA: Vaccination appointment notifications for the second phase of the National Covid-19 Vaccination programme will be sent out starting Monday (April 5).

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said recipients in Phase 2 will receive notifications 14 days before their appointment.

"We hope they will do their best to keep their appointments to avoid wasting the vaccine," he said at the weekly press conference on the progress of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme on Monday.

The second phase of the vaccination programme will start on April 19 and will cover those above 60, those with co-morbidities as well as people with disabilities (OKU).

The second phase will kick off in Kedah, Melaka, Pahang, Penang, Sabah, Sarawak, Terengganu and Labuan before it starts a few days later in other states.

Khairy said after being notified about their appointments, recipients will also be reminded twice about it via a SMS and a call, adding that recipients would still be given the option to agree to their appointments or reject them.

"The first reminder will be sent three days before the appointment and the second one will be sent a day before. Once they agree to the appointment, attendance is compulsory because the vaccination process has been planned to the T so I hope all appointments are kept," he said

Khairy then said that no-shows will lead to wastage as the vaccines cannot be returned to storage once they are taken out.