by AUFA MARDHIAH / Pic by BERNAMA

PROTECTHEALTH Corp Sdn Bhd will be closing its offsite vaccination centres (PPVs) for booster doses this month. 

The offsite PPVs were set up to accelerate the booster dose programme and as the objective has been achieved, the remaining vaccination will be undertaken by the onsite PPVs. 

ProtectHealth currently has 1,102 onsite and 111 offsite PPVs from the total 2,000 PPVs registered, operating throughout the week. 

Those planning to get their booster or primary vaccination (first and second doses) are advised to check the list of the PPVs at ProtectHealth’s website beforehand to avoid any inconvenience. 

ProtectHealth CEO Datuk Dr Anas Alam Faizli urged individuals who have not obtained their Covid-19 vaccine booster shots to immediately get them, as the vaccine is proven to reduce the severity of Covid-19, as well as reduce hospitalisation rate and fatality.

“Most of the offsite PPV venues were set up at community and convention halls and shopping malls to facilitate the public to get their booster vaccination with many walk-in options.

“We strongly encourage everyone to immediately get their booster dose. Also, with the present Omicron wave, vaccination is the best defence to prevent those infected from having severe symptoms. 

“Please protect yourself, your family and everyone around you,” he said in a statement yesterday. 

As of March 7, over 15 million booster doses were given out and 77.5% or 11.6 million doses were contributed by private medical practitioners and healthcare non-government organisations under ProtectHealth. 

ProtectHealth is a wholly owned subsidiary of ProtectHealth Malaysia, established under the Ministry of Health to coordinate, administer and manage initiatives related to financing healthcare services.