Counters set up to help elderly register for vaccine programme
PUTRAJAYA: The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry has taken the initiative to set up counters at its programme locations to assist senior citizens to register for the Covid19 vaccination.
“We can help them register and thereby increase the number of those registered for the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme,” its minister, Datuk Seri Rina Harun, said here yesterday.
She said besides requiring assistance, the wait-and-see attitude and apprehension were among the contributing factors to the low number of registrations by senior citizens for the vaccination.
“We have to create awareness among them that the immunisation programme is for the wellbeing of the people.”
She said the name list of senior citizens at the Social Welfare Department who had agreed to receive the vaccination would be submitted to the Health Ministry.
She said there were 47,000 people at 143 senior citizen activity centres nationwide who would be registered for the vaccination in stages.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba announced yesterday that the second phase of the NIP would kick off on April 17.
The second phase, from April to August, will cover people from high-risk groups, including senior citizens aged 60 and above and those with problems such as heart disease, obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure, as well as persons with disabilities.
Vaccine recipients will be notified of vaccination appointments from April 5 through the
MySejahtera application, phone calls and short messaging system.
On yesterday’s convention involving 300 participants, Rina said non-governmental organisations (NGOs) should be the helping hand for the government by sharing information on matters arising at the grassroots level.
“We hope that they (NGOs) will act as delivery agents to disseminate information on the government’s initiatives to the people.”
Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali reminded civil servants not to be involved in anti -vaccine groups or movements.
He said this included making, publishing or distributing any anti-vaccine statement, rumours or news with the intention to cause fear among the public.
He warned that action could be taken against those caught doing so and those found guilty could be jailed for up to two years, or fined, or both.
Speaking at the Prime Minister’s Department’s Excellent Service Awards 2020 presentation yesterday, he called on civil servants to register for the Covid-19 vaccination through the MySejahtera application.
“I hope that the Covid-19 vaccination programme can help eliminate this pandemic, hence allowing us all to return to a more conducive and prosperous living.”
He is among those who have completed the Covid-19 vaccination process. He received the first dose of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on Feb 25 and the second dose on March 18.