KUALA LUMPUR – Those who fail to attend their appointment to take the Covid-19 vaccination without reasonable grounds can be prosecuted, said Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.
He said this is to avoid wastage because the diluted Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine could not be re-stored for use on other days due to its shelf life of not more than six hours.
“Absence, including for the scheduled vaccination, is a waste of resources and manpower as we have done all the preparations.
“Action can be taken if (the patient is) not present. As in other countries, those who cut the queue for the vaccine can also be fined. For now, we have not discussed the kind of action (that we will take)… but something should be done.”
Dr Noor Hisham said those who could not attend the appointment, especially for the second dose, should inform at least three days ahead so that a new date can be scheduled.
“If there is a last-minute cancellation, we will need to find a way so that the vaccine is not wasted. There may be a waiting list so we can give it to others.
“Instead of being discarded, we may be able to give it to frontliners who have yet to get the jab, including our medical employees.”
He said the government does not intend to commercialise the Covid-19 vaccine in the country by allowing private companies to sell them.
He also said no company is licensed to sell it, adding that the Health Ministry will supply the shot, which will be given to the people for free, to all hospitals, including private ones.
“Companies that sell the vaccine sell it directly to the government, not to private companies. We will not allow its (vaccine) commercialisation as otherwise, the rich will get it first and others will have to wait.
“Interpol has informed us that fake vaccines already exist, so that is why after someone is vaccinated, they need to scan a barcode so that they know which vaccine they have taken with the serial number.” – Bernama, February 26, 2021
