Aged care centres need more time to pre-register for vaccination

 

COVID-19 | The Association for Residential Aged Care Operators of Malaysia (AGECOPE) expressed hope that the Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee Special Committee (JKJAV) would give both licensed and unlicensed care homes more time to pre-register for the vaccination plan.

Its president Delren Terrence Douglas said more time is needed to provide an on-site vaccination plan, and to allocate at least 30,000 doses for aged care home staff and residents under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme.

He pointed out as operators of aged care centres, old folks’ homes and nursing homes, the association was of the view that the vaccination is among important tools in battling the Covid-19 pandemic, apart from regular testing as well as effective infection prevention and control measures.

“AGECOPE is looking forward to working with the Health Ministry, Social Welfare Department, Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry, as well as all related federal, state government agencies, departments and task forces to ensure our premises are safe and in compliance with the industry’s standard operating procedures (SOPs),” he said in a statement today.

In the meantime, Delren also welcomed the government’s plan to initiate a compensation scheme for those who may experience adverse side effects from the Covid-19 vaccination.

The National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme is implemented in three phases starting Feb 24, with Phase 1 from February to April for the frontliners involving 500,000 people.

Phase 2, from April to August, will involve senior citizens aged 65 and above, the high-risk groups and the disabled involving some 9.4 million people, while Phase 3 from May to February 2022 will cover both Malaysians and non-citizens, aged 18 and above, targeting more than 13.7 million people.

- Bernama