THE Covid-19 vaccination centre (PPV) for economic frontliners at Flextronics Technology Sdn Bhd (Flex Penang) in Bukit Minyak has officially started its operation today.
The vaccination centre is operating under the Public-Private Partnership Covid-19 Industry Immunisation Programme (Pikas).
Flex Penang vice-president (operations) Viswanathan Paramasivam said its PPV is expected to welcome about 13,500 employees from Flex Penang, and employees from 90 other factories in the vicinity.
“Our PPV can accommodate up to 1,000 people daily and is open every day from 8am to 8pm.
“We are using our own manpower to help coordinate the process, and these include registration, ushering and assisting in areas that do not require trained medical personnel.
“We are happy to be contributing to this effort to help our economic frontliners, and at the same time helping the state to achieve herd immunity as soon as possible,” Viswanathan told Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow during his visit to the factory today.
Also present were Batu Kawan MP Kasthuriraani Patto, Bukit Tambun assemblyman Goh Choon Aik and Bukit Tengah assemblyman Gooi Hsiao Leung.
Chow thanked Flex Penang for willing to open its door to vaccinate employees from other factories under Pikas.
“With the opening of Pikas PPV in Flex Penang and a few more to come over the next few days, the state will have a capacity to administer 13,000 doses per day for economic frontliners.
“The state government is working very hard to persuade some of the Pikas PPVs to continue to operate after they have completed their quota in vaccinating the employees.
“If some of these Pikas PPVs can continue to operate after they have achieved their target, then we can continue to vaccinate more workers from the other factories; especially those from the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
“At the same time, we are also looking at increasing the number of public PPVs so that we can vaccinate more people in the state,” he added.
Story by Riadz Akmal
Pix by Ahmad Adil Muhamad
Video by Noor Siti Nabilah Noorazis