204 officers at PPV IDCC Shah Alam tested positive for COVID-19

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 204 volunteers at the Ideal Convention Center (IDCC) Vaccination Center (PPV), Shah Alam were confirmed positive after a mass screening was conducted on July 10.

This was announced by the Coordinating Minister of the National COVID-19 Immunisation Program (PICK), Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar at a special virtual press conference today.

Khairy said as soon as he received a report regarding the two volunteers who were confirmed positive, the COVID-19 mass screening of staff at IDCC was conducted.

"The test was conducted on July 10 involving all staff. Following this measure, so far, a total of 204 staff have been found positive.

"RT-PCR results have shown that all positives have a CT (cycle threshold) of more than 35, where they have a low viral load," he said.

Therefore, he advised vaccine recipients who were present at the PPV on July 9, from 4 pm, to monitor for any symptoms of COVID-19 for 10 days.

“We also informed those who have an appointment today about this closure via SMS alerts and social media.

“All of them have already got new appointment dates.

“We have also instructed CITF staff to go to IDCC today to help those who are unaware of this closure so that they are present on the new date that has been given,” Khairy said.

Earlier today, the COVID-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) announced that the Shah Alam IDCC PPV was closed today following a positive COVID-19 case detected among the PPV staff.

He said the one-day closure was taken to allow sanitation work to be carried out, after obtaining the results of the COVID-19 test last night.

According to Khairy, the IDCC PPV was closed today and will be reopened tomorrow after several things were done, including sanitation work by the fire brigade and monitoring the quality of the building's ventilation.

“CITF has and will continue to step up all efforts to ensure that the IDCC PPV is safe to accept the presence of the public for vaccination in the coming days.

“Therefore, I would like to call on the public to attend their appointments at PPV IDCC as usual after this, in addition to complying with SOPs and physical distancing at all times.

"Come according to the time given and not too early and make sure to go home after the vaccination to minimise exposure time in public areas," he said.

He added that he had also ordered all previous IDCC staff to be segregated and exchanged with a new task force as a precaution so that the potential for infection could be reduced.

Those present on July 10, 11 and 12 were also advised to monitor symptoms and perform self -control for 10 days.

“Apart from the steps taken at the IDCC PPV itself, I also instructed other PPVs to continue to comply with the SOPs that have been set without any compromise.

"We are considering stricter measures in all other PPVs and this will be announced from time to time," he said.

While chairing the CITF Meeting earlier today, Khairy said, he had also asked all other PPVs to inform his team if they experienced any issues.

"In case of any problems, especially regarding congestion, immediately inform the CITF Center so that we can help immediately," he added.

He stressed that due to the high number of COVID-19 infection cases in the Klang Valley, it was difficult to ascertain whether the infection occurred in IDCC or elsewhere.