Vax drive to provide boosters for workers

PETALING JAYA: Employers who are planning to have their workers get booster jabs can do so through a special short-term vaccination drive.

They, however, need to apply for the programme through private medical practitioners, said ProtectHealth Corporation chief executive officer Datuk Dr Anas Alam Faizli.

He said previously, most employees would go to the vaccination centres (PPV), but now if employers choose to go through this programme, they can set up a vaccination drive ranging from one to seven days.

“This programme provides a more controlled and easier way for the employees, especially those working in factories.

“We have to be prepared for the Omicron variant, so boosters need to be given to employees at a faster rate,” he told The Star yesterday.

ProtectHealth is the government-appointed implementer of private medical practitioner participation in the immunisation programme.

The programme targets a specific population and for a short period of specific communities in rural areas or the interiors, at companies, at factories or any other location as approved by ProtectHealth.

Private medical practitioners and healthcare NGOs must submit the application to ProtectHealth to conduct any outreach programme.

Dr Anas said the vaccine was free and provided by the government.

“Employers should also provide an appropriate venue and non-clinical infrastructure for the provider to do the vaccination,” he added.

He added that a total of 111 PPV outreach programmes had been conducted with 69 PPV outreach vaccinations for employees at workplaces and 42 for communities.