COVID: Tourism frontliners to be prioritised for vaccination

KUALA LUMPUR: The vaccination process for tourism frontliners working in the essential services sector will begin as soon as the first two phases of the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme are completed.

Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry (MOTAC), in a statement today, said it would cooperate with the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry to provide the vaccine to members of the tourism sector who are working during the Movement Control Order (MCO) 3.0 period.

Among those who will receive the vaccine under the first phase of the vaccination are the staff of hotels operating as quarantine centres and other hotels operating throughout MCO 3.0.

In addition, aviation staff from Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia and Malindo who are on duty in June 2021, as well as the Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing and Exhibition (MICE) personnel placed at vaccination centres.

According to the statement, the next phase will involve those from other sub-categories under MOTAC, based on the flexibility of the economic sector's operations after MCO 3.0.

Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Nancy Shukri said the commitment could be a catalyst for the tourism industry's revival, thus helping the country to accelerate the economic recovery phase.

Meanwhile, MOTAC through its agency, the Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) has partnered with industry players to provide premises as vaccination centres to expedite the vaccination process.

The centres include the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC), Persada Johor International Convention Centre, Setia Spice Convention Centre, Seberang Perai Arena Convention Centre, Borneo Kuching Convention Centre, Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Convention Hall and Bera District Council Convention Hall.

-- BERNAMA