EMPLOYERS would be able to help ensure success of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) by fully supporting government’s efforts to achieve herd immunity against Covid-19 by end-2021.
The Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) appeals to all employers to brief their employees on the importance of vaccination and help them to register, especially those at the lower levels of employment who may find it difficult to use the MySejahtera app.
Besides providing time off to employees to undergo vaccination, employers are also encouraged to set up help desks at the workplace to educate the employees, so that the message on the importance of Covid-19 vaccination would be passed on to their families and friends.
This simple effort would complement the PICK which could be achieved in a shorter period of time.
As of June 2, the PICK reported that 12.58 million – or 51.9% of the adult population – had registered for vaccines, while the total vaccines administered was 3.21 million doses: 2.1 million people had received one dose of the vaccine and 1.11 million completed two doses.
It is understood that to attain the desired herd immunity, a total of 25 million people or 80% of the adult population were targeted to be inoculated by year end.
Malaysia needs at least another 12 million people to sign up and be vaccinated against Covid 19 to attain herd immunity, while the attendance rate among those who have registered was about 80% on average.
Both the registration and average attendance rate indicate that vaccine hesitancy remains an issue.
Employers can encourage better communication among our families and friends, and also to help educate people who still have doubts and fears about the vaccine.
We appreciate the government’s efforts especially the Science, Technology, and Innovation Ministry and the Health Ministry to secure the vaccines for the rakyat, and we understand the need to depend on others for supply as we are not producers of vaccine.
Despite the prevailing challenges, we must do all we can to get Malaysians to be in the right mind set so that when the borders are open, employers and employees are already vaccinated and ready to meet all the opportunities that will come with the opening of interstate and international travel.
However, the communication from the government regarding the standard operating procedures (SOPs) and vaccination must be clear and consistent, because there should not be ad hoc changes on implementation of guidelines and SOPs that creates confusion to the employers, employees, and the rakyat.
If the confusion and inconsistencies persist then the public may lose confidence in the MCO regulations prescribed to them.
In moving forward, we hope all communications would have been discussed intra agencies and departments and the execution is tested before roll-out.
MEF is committed to assist the government in whatever manner to make the PICK a success so that our businesses and our lives return to normalcy. – The Vibes, June 8, 2021
Datuk Syed Hussain Syed Husman J.P. is president of the Malaysian Employers Federation, a central organisation of private sector employers in Malaysia that aims to promote and safeguard the rights and interests of employers
