BUTTERWORTH: Without the chance to walk in for booster jabs, the vaccination rate in Penang has slowed somewhat.

       A doctor working in the Tapak Ekspo Seberang Jaya vaccination centre (PPV) – one of the largest in the state – said on average, between 350 and 400 people were walking in daily to get their booster jabs.

       But since walk-ins were disallowed, the team here has to call people on the waiting list daily to get them to come.

       Asking not to be named, the doctor yesterday shared his observation after walk-ins were no longer allowed when a number of other PPV in the country became crowded as people rushed to get booster jabs without appointments.

       Being an expo site, he said this PPV was large enough to prevent crowding.

       “When the Covid-19 Omicron variant was detected, we received a higher traffic of recipients walking in, including those who had earlier rejected appointments.

       “There is a demand for walk-ins, but unfortunately they now have to be put on the waiting list after walk-ins are no longer allowed.

       “I believe walk-ins should be open again for this PPV as it caters to those who are eager (to get vaccinated). As medical officers, we all wish that everyone gets their booster jabs,” he said, adding that the centre is stocked with Pfizer, Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines.

       “There is no limit on these options. They are all available.

       “If there are any doubts, we have certified medical personnel to counsel and give advice,” he said.

       He observed that earlier, most of the walk-ins were from among the elderly and believed that they lacked the knowledge on how to use MySejahtera on smartphones.

       “The centre can dispense a maximum of 1,600 doses daily but we now need to call up names on the waiting list to finish up vaccine doses allotted for the day,” he added.

       State health committee chairman Dr Norlela Ariffin confirmed that the Health Department no longer allows walk-ins.

       As for calling people on waiting lists, she said problems abound.

       “The phone numbers may no longer be in service or the people have died. Some cannot make it because they have no transport or their children are at work. Some of their children refuse to bring them because of fears of the third dose,” she added.

       Among those who received the booster dose yesterday were married couple Goh Yuet Kit, 56, and husband P’ng Yew Khoon, 60, from Prai.

       “My husband received his second dose in July and I got mine in August, but we are lucky to receive appointments for booster doses on the same day today.

       “Yes, we are worried about Omicron and are glad to receive our booster jabs.

       “Hopefully Covid-19 will be over as we missed going overseas for vacations in the last two years,” she said.

       They were pleased to see their vaccination status updated immediately on their MySejahtera apps.

       Beauty salon owner R. Gunasundari, 59, from Seberang Jaya, also received her booster dose, which she had been waiting for since November.

       “I’m the first in the family to receive the booster dose. There are seven of us.

       “My husband hasn’t gotten his appointment yet and we are looking forward to it,” she said.

       On Jan 4, it was reported that walk-ins at PPV for booster doses were no longer allowed following reports of long queues and crowding at various sites in the Klang Valley.