SEREMBAN: About 1.99 million vaccine doses are needed to inoculate workers in the manufacturing sector under the Public-Private Partnership Covid-19 Industry Immunisation Programme (Pikas) between July and September, says Datuk Seri Azmin Ali (pic).

       The International Trade and Industry Minister said 600,000 doses would be required next month, 600,000 doses in August and 795,000 doses in September for Pikas, which would be carried out at 49 designated industry vaccination centres (PPV).

       “This supply of vaccines is vital for the successful implementation of Pikas, and National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme coordinator minister Khairy Jamaluddin has given assurance that Pikas will be allocated 600,000 doses in July.

       “We expect to complete the whole exercise by the end of September to achieve the immunisation target for the manufacturing sector.

       “Manufacturing is an important sector as it is part of the backbone of our economy, and we are at a stage where we need to accelerate economic recovery,” he told a press conference after visiting the industry PPV at d’Tempat Country Club in Bandar Seri Sendayan here yesterday.Azmin said about 2.25 million workers in the manufacturing sector were targeted to be vaccinated under Pikas.

       He added that employers participating in Pikas were required to ensure that their workers were given the full two doses for free even if they left the company before completing the vaccination. — Bernama