SOPs for the fully vaccinated should be clear, says Employers Federation

 

The proposed guidelines for those who have received two doses of Covid-19 vaccines should be clear, consistent, and include proper standard operating procedures (SOPs) to protect the health and safety of employees and the public.

Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) president Syed Hussain Syed Husman said the SOPs should still apply to those who are fully vaccinated as there is no guarantee they are fully protected against Covid-19.

“Based on the experiences of other countries thus far, fully vaccinated individuals are allowed to move freely and that those who got infected suffered less severely, not requiring intensive care, and thus do not overburden the public health system.

“But, there is no clinical evidence to show that those who received two doses of the vaccine would be free from Covid-19 (with) the mutations and emergence of new and more virulent variants,” he said in a statement today.

He said this in response to recent reports that Health Minister Dr Adham Baba would present the proposed guidelines for those who have completed their vaccination to the National Security Council (NSC).

Syed Hussain said MEF is concerned for the safety and health of all employees, including those who received the vaccine, and proposed that the government establish a platform where adverse events could be reported and monitored.

He said the authorities should include awareness programmes on the benefits and risks of vaccinations in accordance with individual rights, professional medical ethics, and the legal principles of informed consent.

“The lives of the rakyat must be held sacred and be protected... Putting in place such interventions would also help validate the vaccine’s safety and efficacy as well as dispel rumours and fake news.

“We are of the view that the proposed guidelines for those who received two vaccine doses should be subjected to SOPs and should not discriminate against individuals who have not yet received two doses of the vaccine to avoid human rights violations, legal complications, and negative social control policies,” he said.

MEF also urged the authorities to involve industry stakeholders, professional medical practitioners, as well as experts in other fields in formulating the SOPs to ensure their practicality and effectiveness.

“There has to be a collective responsibility among stakeholders to deal effectively with Covid-19. We hope the guidelines would be standardised, clear, and without variations to avoid confusion to both employers and employees.

“There should only be one policy for the proposed guidelines under one agency to handle all queries,” he added.

- Bernama