RM50 charge for retail workers to receive Covid-19 vaccination is to defray costs, says association

PETALING JAYA: Retail workers will be charged RM50 each to defray the cost of receiving both doses of Covid-19 vaccines under the Economic Frontliners Vaccination Programme, says the Malaysia Shopping Malls Association (PPK).

The PPK said the vaccines would be provided by the government free of charge.

It said full details of the programme and the confirmed locations were being finalised.

"We do look forward to the rollout by the end of June this year as scheduled," it said in a statement on Wednesday.

On May 28, the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry said that it was working with the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) to roll out the Economic Frontliners Vaccination Programme for the retail sector this month.

Its minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said as economic frontliners, the retail sector was crucial in ensuring that the supply of food and daily necessities were always sufficient to meet market demands.

PPK said the malls would be paying the fees for the doctors, nurses, medical officers to ProtectHealth Corporation as well as all other antecedent costs.

The malls, it said, would largely subsidise the cost of vaccination and were only allowed to charge RM20 for two doses per retail worker.

"We were also informed that the doctors and nurses providing their service will be allocated by ProtectHealth Corporation, who will charge RM15 to administer each dose.

"Therefore, at RM15 per dose for two doses totalling to RM30, plus the nominal sum of RM20 to partially defray logistic expenses, a total of RM50 for two doses will be charged for participants," said PPK.

PPK said claims that malls were profiteering from this exercise were untrue.

"Enthusiastic participation of malls, together with the overwhelming registration by tenants and their staff, are testimony to the urgent need for access to vaccination," it said, adding that more than 50 malls nationwide have expressed interest to host vaccine administration centres (PPVs).