Covid-19: Companies under Pikas only paying for operating cost of vaccinations

PUTRAJAYA: Companies participating in the Public-Private Partnership Covid-19 Industry Immunisation Programme (Pikas) are only paying for the operational charges of inoculating their workers, says Khairy Jamaluddin.

He said the costs are capped so as not to burden employers, who have come forward to help the government in the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme.

The vaccines are provided free, said Khairy, who is the national programme's coordinating minister.

"We are not forcing industries to participate ... they have come forward to help as this will accelerate the vaccination process. They too are willing to shoulder the cost.

"This is not a profit-making exercise and the charges are capped," he said on Monday (June 21).

Khairy said by participating in the programme, workers are able to be vaccinated fast which is crucial because health authorities have reported that a significant number of new clusters involved workplaces.

"While the government has the budget to roll out the immunisation programme, we welcome this contribution from the private sector so that we can use the budget to roll out vaccination for the rest of the population," he said.

As of June 16, more than 500 companies with a total 106,591 workers have applied to participate in the Pikas programme.