KUALA LUMPUR - Walk-in Covid-19 vaccinations will soon be expanded nationwide to certain groups of Malaysians after the initiative took off in the Klang Valley earlier this month.
The National Covid-19 Immunisation Special Task Force (CITF) said the elderly, individuals with disabilities, people with co-morbidities, teachers and those who missed their second dose will be able to walk in to get their jabs at public vaccination centres (PPVs).
Others who can walk in include contract support staff at educational institutions under the Education Ministry.
"Details of the implementation of walk-in vaccinations will be announced by the state CITF together with the respective state Health Departments," the CITF said in a statement on Saturday (Aug 7).
"This includes vaccination scheduling and daily walk-in vaccination quota at PPVs for each state."
The CITF said the number of daily walk-ins depends on the supply of vaccines at the PPVs.
National news agency Bernama reported that those who failed to get vaccinated due to PPVs running out of vaccines will be prioritised to get inoculated the next day.
The CITF said walk-in initiatives for the elderly have started in states like Perak, Kedah, Penang, Sabah, Melaka, Kelantan and Sarawak.
However, pregnant women are discouraged from walking into PPVs to get their jabs. Instead they will be given an appointment through the MySejahtera app which will be based on their expected date of delivery.
CITF also urged the public to adhere to current health protocols and and cooperate with staff at the PPVs to prevent the spread of infections and to ensure a smooth vaccination process, Bernama reported.
The move comes as the government focused on speeding up its vaccination drive as the country battles record-high infections, fuelled by the more contagious Delta variant.
Malaysia's record 20,889 infections on Friday brought the total tally to 1,224,595. It also reported 160 deaths, bringing the death toll to 10,179.
About 35 per cent of the adult population has received both doses of the vaccine and 65 per cent has taken at least one dose as at Friday, according to the Special Committee on Covid-19 Vaccine Supply.
