National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme Coordinating Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said yesterday that granting staff off days to get vaccinated was among the proposals put forward to the ministries. — Picture by Ahmad Zamzahuri/Malay Mail
KUALA LUMPUR, Apr 6 — The Human Resources Ministry and the Ministry of Health have begun discussions on whether staff should be given an off-day to receive their Covid-19 vaccines, Datuk Seri M. Saravanan revealed today.
Saravanan said he had agreed to the suggestion “in principle” after discussing the matter with Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba yesterday, but said more discussions needed to be done with relevant stakeholders before an announcement can be made.
“Yes, the minister spoke to me yesterday,” he told reporters, referring to Dr Adham.
“I think in principle we have agreed but I still need to discuss the matter with my ministry on the impact of taking off for a day.
“Before any further announcement, we want to engage with stakeholders, like the MTUC and a few others to make sure we are all on the same page,” he said, using the Malaysian Trade Union Congress’s initials.
Saravanan made these comments after launching the Human Resource Development Fund Placement Centre (HPC) job placement and up-skilling programme at a ceremony in the KL Convention Centre here today.
This after the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme Coordinating Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said yesterday that granting staff off days to get vaccinated was among the proposals put forward to them, mainly to avoid vaccine wastage and that registered individuals show up as scheduled for their jabs.
Khairy had also announced that eight states and federal territory will begin Phase Two of the vaccination programme on April 19 first: Kedah, Melaka, Pahang, Penang, Sabah, Sarawak, Terengganu and Labuan. – Malay Mail