Booster dose bookings can be made through MySejahtera from Monday (March 21)

PETALING JAYA: Members of the public will be able to pick the date, time and venue of their Covid-19 vaccine booster dose appointments through MySejahtera from Monday (March 21).

This is a step forward for the immunisation programme as a way to expedite booster dose dispensing nationwide before the "fully vaccinated" status of certain vaccine recipients is revoked after March 31.

ProtectHealth Corp Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Dr Anas Alam Faizli said he hoped this facility would make it easier for people to receive the booster dose.

"To ensure that the transition to the endemic phase on April 1 can be implemented safely, the focus is to foster community awareness and individual responsibility.

"This will expand access to existing vaccination programmes, especially for senior citizens.

"Unvaccinated or unboosted elderly folk with comorbidities have a higher risk of dying if they contract Covid-19.

"As Ramadan is approaching, I advise everyone to receive their booster doses as quickly as possible.

"We must protect our parents and family as well as increase our protection levels before we transition to the endemic phase," he said on Friday (March 18).

Dr Anas said the list of vaccination centres (PPV) will be updated from time to time.

"To date, there are 2,039 private health facility PPV (private clinics, private specialist hospitals, private hospitals and ambulatory care centres) and 99 off-site PPV under ProtectHealth providing the booster dose.

"As of March 16, a total of 15.3 million booster doses have been administered and 82.4% or 11.9 million were contributed by private medical practitioners and healthcare NGOs under ProtectHealth," he said.

To book your booster dose, go to your MySejahtera app home screen and click on "Covid-19 Vaccination", then select "Click here to book your appointment".

Choose your preferred PPV name and address, then select an available vaccination slot (date and time).

Select "See more" to view the appointment slots and ensure that the details are correct before clicking "Confirm", (i.e. type of vaccine, place of vaccination, date and time of vaccination).

Your confirmed slot will be reflected accordingly.

Locate your preferred PPV for the booster dose under ProtectHealth's website by clicking on "Find Vaccination Centre (PPV)" at www.protecthealth.com.my.

It was announced earlier that those above 18 who had received two doses of Sinovac vaccine, as well as senior citizens above 60 regardless of what vaccine they received earlier, need to get a booster dose by March 31 or the "fully vaccinated" status on their MySejahtera would be removed.