PETALING JAYA – The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry has recommended that women who give birth in hospitals be given the Covid-19 vaccine before they are discharged.
Minister Datuk Seri Rina Mohd Harun said the move is to make it easier for the mothers to get the vaccine, which should be administered on advice from experts.
“I suggest that pregnant women who deliver their babies at hospitals be given the vaccine before they are discharged, instead of them having to go home and then go to a vaccination centre (PPV) to get the jab.”
Rina and Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin visited a PPV for pregnant women at the Sunway Pyramid Convention Centre here today, where some 2,600 individuals are expected to be immunised today.
Present was National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme Coordinating Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
Rina said nearly 110,000 pregnant women have registered for the vaccination via MySejahtera, and to date, 11,000 of them have been given appointment dates.
She also suggested that babysitters be given the immunisation at 49 Nur Sejahtera clinics.
On vaccination for people with disabilities (PwDs), Rina said the number of registration involving the group is still low, with only 280,000 individuals signing up to be immunised.
“The ministry will monitor this. We have the list of PwDs, and we will take further action to get them registered so that they can receive the vaccine as soon as possible.”
She said the ministry is also in discussion with e-hailing companies to provide transport for PwDs to PPVs.
A drive-through PPV for PwDs has been set up at Sime Darby Plantation Bhd here, she said, adding that the ministry will also set up similar facilities for the group in other states.
Meanwhile, in Kangar, 224 expectant mothers out of some 10,000 in Perlis who have registered for the vaccination via MySejahtera began receiving their first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at the Dewan 2020 PPV here today.
State secretary Azman Mohd Yusof said: “For Phase 1 in Perlis, 10,000 expectant mothers will receive the first dose of the vaccine, and I understand that 106,000 pregnant women nationwide have registered via MySejahtera.”
Perlis Health Department family health senior principal assistant director Dr Izwana Hamzah said only expectant mothers who are between 13 and 33 weeks into their pregnancy will be allowed to get the jab, while those who are over 33 weeks have been advised to get vaccinated after giving birth. – The Vibes, June 27, 2021
