QUARANTINE CENTRE STAFF GET VACCINE JAB
96 staff, health workers responsible for 4,000 patients at MAEPS get first dose of vaccine
THE Integrated Quarantine and Treatment Centre 2.0 at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park (MAEPS) has rolled out Covid-19 vaccines for its healthcare workers and frontliners.
Programme coordinator Dr Ahmad Hisyammudin Ahmad Lutfi said 96 personnel and healthcare frontliners received the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 jab yesterday.
The centre’s frontliners are responsible for the safety and welfare of 4,000 Covid-19 patients, both locals and foreigners.
“We expect to vaccinate all 1,000 staff here by the end of next week.
“Today is the first day of the vaccination programme and it is split into two sessions, morning and evening, with 48 people inoculated in each session.
“Apart from healthcare personnel, the list includes other staff, such as police, armed forces and civil servants, who have been on duty since the centre was set up.”
Dr Ahmad Hisyammudin said personnel getting vaccinated need to go through five stations at the vaccination centre.
He said the first station involved registration using the MySejahtera application and temperature screening, followed by signing the immunisation consent letter and getting a briefing at the second station.
“Frontliners get vaccinated at the third station and are then observed at the fourth station for 30 minutes. If there are no side effects, they will be given vaccination cards and we will arrange an appointment for the second jab.
“We have yet to see any frontliner experience any adverse side effects after the injection.”
Frontliners said the vaccines had given them a morale boost.
Integrated Quarantine and Treatment Centre 2.0 staff nurse Nur Faizura Md Safea, 33, who was among the first 96 healthcare workers and frontliners to receive the inoculation, said she felt relieved after receiving the first dose of the vaccine.
Nur Faizura, who has been on duty at the centre since Dec 28, said she now felt more confident in continuing her duties.
“When I first started working here, I felt nervous to face patients. But after awhile, I was okay with it because nurses are provided with full PPE (personal protective equipment).
“I am happy and proud to be part of those serving the country during this pandemic.
“I hope I’ll set an example to others to get vaccinated. I want people to know there is nothing scary about the vaccine and I am still fine after the jab.”
She advised people not to make assumptions about the vaccine, which is backed by clinical research and approved by the religious department.
Subang Jaya community welfare officer Ramacantiran M. Ananthan, 39, advised the public to support the Covid-19 inoculation drive to protect their families.
“There should be more awareness on the vaccination drive so that more Malaysians are willing to take the vaccine and understand how important it is to protect not only themselves, but also family members from Covid-19.”
He said 20 Social Welfare Department officers had been put in charge of distributing food to Covid-19 patients and frontliners, as well as to arrange accommodation since the establishment of the centre on Dec 8.
He said five officers, including him, received the vaccination jab yesterday.
Policeman Reznol Jibin, 27, from Pitas, Sabah, said he trusted the vaccine even after he heard views from those who opposed it.
“Being on duty at the quarantine centre since last year made us fortunate enough to get the vaccine early.
“I hope it will help us serve patients better.”