KUALA LUMPUR – All foreigners, including undocumented migrants, residing in the country will get free Covid-19 vaccinations, the cabinet decided yesterday.
Malaysians will still, however, be given priority in the National Immunisation Programme, with the roll-out schedule for foreigners to be announced in due time, the Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee Committee said.
In a joint statement, its co-chairmen, ministers Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba and Khairy Jamaluddin, said the government has also agreed to provide free inoculation to foreigners considering Malaysia has procured more than enough vaccines to cover Malaysians of priority.
They said the decision was made after having considered several key factors, including the fact that an environment free of Covid-19 can only be achieved by vaccinating as many residents as possible.
They also cited the high number of cases and clusters involving foreign workers, stressing on the high cost of treatment should the infections spread.
Additionally, they said the decision also takes into account the fact that foreigners are now part of the community and economy, and it is only humane to give vaccines to all during the pandemic, especially since even Malaysians living abroad are given free vaccinations.
“This decision will facilitate the rolling out of vaccines to foreigners in ensuring our immunisation programme succeeds,” Dr Adham and Khairy said in the statement.
Dr Adham is health minister, while Khairy is the science, technology and innovation minister.
In a separate message later on Twitter, Khairy said the programme will also cover foreigners who are diplomats, expatriates, students, spouses and children, workers and refugees holding United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) cards.
He added that, in principle, the cabinet has also agreed to provide the vaccines free to undocumented foreigners, with further discussions to be held with state governments, embassies and NGOs on its implementation.
Previously on January 6, Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan had said that employers of foreign workers must bear the cost of administering Covid-19 vaccines for them.
He cited Section 11 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 that mandates all foreign workers in the country to undergo Covid-19 screening, with their employers bearing the incurred expenses.
Under the current plan, 500,000 front-line workers will be vaccinated as part of the first phase of the roll-out from the end of this month to April, followed by 9.4 million high-risk individuals between April and August.
The third and final phase will involve more than 16 million adults 18 and older, and will run from May to February next year. – The Vibes, February 11, 2021
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