Compounds await vaccine queue jumpers

As of 11am yesterday, Khairy says registration for Covid-19 vaccination through the MySejahtera app is still low

by RAHIMI YUNUS / Pic by RAZAK GHAZALI

THE government would consider issuing compounds on any individual found jumping queues to get inoculated with Covid-19 vaccine.

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar (picture) said the move would also include empowering the Ministry of Health (MoH) with more authority to impose such a fine.

Earlier in a press conference, he said he had received complaints about people jumping queue to get the injection through emails, and all the claims would be looked into.

“The question of cutting the queue will not arise as personnel of vaccination dispensing centres have been told to follow the guidelines.

“The guidelines will clearly state who is eligible and who is not yet eligible for the vaccination under Phase 1,” he told reporters yesterday after a meeting with Special Committee on Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee (JKJAV).

The government has introduced a guideline that specifies the frontliners who are eligible for vaccine in Phase 1 of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme to curb queue jumping.

The JKJAV has classified frontliners into two categories which are Category 1 and 2, according to a statement.

The general definition for Category 1 is members directly involved with treatment and healthcare, encompassing institutions under the MoH, Defence Ministry, teaching and private hospitals.

Category 2 is defined as members who are involved in the health sector, defence agencies, security personnel and essential services.

In details, the guideline stated that Category 1 includes technical members from the management, professional, paramedics and auxiliary, such as medical officers, nurses, X-ray operators, drivers; as well as implementing groups in health facilities in pandemic control areas who communicate directly with the public, such as supervising counter staff.

Meanwhile, Category 2 covers health sectors such as general practitioners, security personnel, social services, the Royal Malaysian Customs Department, MoH contractors, haemodialysis operators, teachers with comorbidity, Cabinet ministers, members of a state government meeting, MPs, members of a state legislative assembly and government officials involved in overseas trips of Cabinet ministers.

As of 11am yesterday, Khairy said the number of registrations for Covid-19 vaccination through the MySejahtera app was still low, tallying at 1.47 million people, or 6.1% of the population.

He said five districts that have the highest rate of vaccination are Kuching with 1,677 doses, Sibu (1,360), Kinta (1,141), Kuantan (1,075) and Mukah (822).

Three states with the most number of vaccines administered to date are Sarawak with 7,402 doses, Pahang (2,416) and Perak (1,277).

Khairy attributed the low rate of registration to the wait-and-see attitude adopted by some members of the public.

He, however, is optimistic that the number will increase when hotline and online website registration are launched, while clinics and hospitals will also open counters for vaccine registration soon.

Malaysia is targeted to cover over 80% of the country’s population with vaccines, or 26.5 million people, to achieve herd immunity.