THE national immunisation programme against Covid-19 can be sped up if health frontliners are sent to worksites, such as factories, to administer the injections, the SME Association of Malaysia said.

If more than 80% of a company’s workers register for the vaccination, this approach should be taken as it is convenient for the workers and will meet the objectives of the government’s immunisation drive, it said.

Association president Michael Kang Hua Keong said this is a logical move because factories comprise the highest number of Covid-19 clusters and have the highest potential of spreading the coronavirus as employees live and work in close contact with each other.

A collective vaccination exercise covering the majority of workers will be effective, he said.

“Only by ensuring that everyone is vaccinated and employees are not infected can the company continue to operate and promote the country’s economic growth,” Kang told The Malaysian Insight.

He said the process of bringing the vaccination programme to worksites should be simple enough to execute.

The association is also preparing by collecting data on companies that are willing to participate in mass vaccinations at the workplace.

“As long as employers call for employees to register for vaccination through the MySejahtera app and more than 80% do so, they can submit the company name and employee list to us, and we will assist and coordinate with the Ministry of Trade and Industry,” said Kang.

He said at least 150 companies submitted their data at the end of last month, and more are expected to do so.

Bringing vaccinations to the workplace can be applied regardless of whether the firm is large or small, he added.

“For companies and factories to participate in the immunisation drive, it will mean manhours lost letting their workers queue at government hospitals and clinics for their jabs,” Kang said.

“For a large company, just doing this for all its workers will slow down operations.”

Ang Say Tee, chairman of the Malaysian Fashion Wholesale Importers and Exporters Association, agrees with bringing the vaccination programme to the workplace.

“I think this proposal is very good; everyone in the company’s factory can be vaccinated collectively and employees need not request leave,” said Ang.

“It will save companies money and manhours, thus improving productivity.

“Companies want to operate and increase productivity, but they also want to prevent the virus from spreading.”

Malaysian Furniture Council president Khoo Yeow Chong also supports the proposal as it will be convenient for employers.

“Most manufacturers in the furniture industry hire foreign workers. A convenient service like this will allow local and foreign employees to be vaccinated together and will create a safer workplace environment,” he said.

Khoo said he has encouraged workers in his furniture factory to register for vaccination, but also knows he cannot force them, as the programme is voluntary.

But collective vaccinations can have a positive effect in changing the minds of those who fear the jabs, he said.

“Some employees are affected by the negative news about the vaccines, but I think if more people get vaccinated together, it will build confidence,” he said.

Another positive in bringing vaccinations to the workplace is the reduced risk of crowding and infection, said Master Builders Association Malaysia president Leong Kien Keong.

“The proposal can help reduce the number of infections on construction sites,” he said.

Workers in the manufacturing and construction sectors are among those to be considered economic frontliners who will receive Covid-19 inoculation under Phase 2 of the immunisation drive.

The second phase is to start later this month.

The industry associations which have been discussing the proposed workplace vaccination programme with the government say that it could begin next month.

The government considers vaccine take-up to be slow, with Health Minister Dr Adham Baba saying recently that only about 30% of the population have registered for inoculation. – April 7, 2021.