FINAL preparations are underway to ensure smooth acceptance of the first batch of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine on Sunday (Feb 21).
Detailed preparations carried out earlier which included dry runs on the vaccine delivery to storage facilities and to other states went smoothly with training also provided to health workers who would be administering the vaccine, according to Health deputy director-general (Research and Technical Support) Datuk Dr Hishamshah Mohd Ibrahim.
As such, the Health Ministry (MOH) is fully prepared for the vaccine distribution while MOH Pharmaceutical Services Division would take care of the logistics by ensuring that the vaccines are stored properly.
“Through the dry runs, we could identify the problems that we may face and find ways to solve them so that all will go well when the vaccines arrive,” Hishamshah told Bernama TV talk show Ruang Bicara.
“MOH procurement division has also received supply of 55 freezers to store the vaccines and they have been placed at the vaccine storage centres which have been identified.”
In addition Dr Hishamshah said the existing storage boxes with ultra-low temperature have been placed at the MOH vaccine storage as well as the Malaysian Armed Forces facilities which serve as additional storage space for the vaccines.
As such, MOH will not encounter difficulties in storing the first batch of the vaccines, he said.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced that Malaysia would receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine this Sunday with the first phase of the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme to kick off beginning Feb 26. – Feb 18, 2021
