Malaysia to offer free coronavirus vaccinations to millions of foreign workers: Minister

Malaysia will offer free coronavirus vaccinations to millions of foreign workers under the National Immunisation Programme, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation and Coordination Minister for Covid-19 Immunisation Khairy Jamaluddin informed on February 11. Jamaluddin said that the free vaccination drive will include diplomats, expatriates, students, foreign spouses and their children, and foreign workers, as well as UN High Commissioner for Refugees cardholders. He even added that the government has agreed to provide vaccines free for undocumented foreigners. 

“The committee will be discussing further on how this can be implemented. We will be reaching out to state governments, foreign embassies, NGOs to assist,” Jamaluddin said in a statement. 

According to a press note, the COVID-19 vaccine supply access guarantee committee said that the latest move to vaccinate the group is deemed necessary in order to achieve herd immunity. It added that the decision to give free vaccinations is due to Malaysia’s adequate supply of vaccines, which is more than the number of Malaysians who are eligible to receive it. Further, it added that foreigners have become a part of the community to the nation’s economy. 

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Malaysians will be given priority 

However, it said that priority will be given to Malaysians, adding that the nation was inspired by other countries who include non-citizens, including Malaysian nationals, in their respective vaccination programmes. The press note said that the number of patients in clusters including foreign workers in the agriculture, construction and manufacturing industries, as well as the high cost of treating quarantining COVID-19 patients, also motivated the nation to arrive at the decision. The committee added that a “humanitarian move” is necessary to curb the spread of the unprecedented pandemic. 

Further details on the vaccination schedule for foreigners will be announced later. Meanwhile, the deadly virus has killed 936 and infected nearly 254,988 in Malaysia since January last year. Malaysia is expected to receive its first batch of vaccines on February 26, after securing supply for 40 per cent of its population through agreements with the Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access facility and pharmaceutical firms Pfizer and AstraZeneca. Malaysia will run its first phase of vaccinations from the end of February to April.

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