Special team set up to coordinate process of receiving COVID-19 vaccine - MASkargo

PUTRAJAYA: MAB Kargo Sdn Bhd (MASkargo) has formed a special team specially for the coordination process in receiving Malaysia's COVID-19 vaccine supply, said its chief operations officer Mohd Zulkefly Ujang.

He said the team set up two months ago comprises 30 members who have expertise in vaccine management.

"The team will manage the vaccine when the shipment arrives here this Sunday as well in the following phases. The members have been given adequate training," he told Bernama.

MASkargo, which is the air cargo division of Malaysia Airlines Bhd, had been given the task to coordinate the responsibility of receiving the vaccine at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).

Malaysia will be receiving 312,390 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine Sunday (tomorrow) the first delivery to Malaysia, under the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme which will be implemented in phases beginning Feb 26.

The first phase of the programme starts from February to April involving frontline workers, followed by the second phase from April to August for the high-risk groups, namely senior citizens aged 60 and above and vulnerable groups with morbidity problems as well as the disabled.

The third phase from May this year till February next year, involves adults aged 18 and above

Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin will receive his vaccine on the first day of the programme implementation, along with the country's frontline workers.

Mohd Zulkefly said MASkargo's expertise in handling the vaccine has been recognised because it had been managing and receiving various types of vaccines on a daily basis.

"We manage numerous types of vaccines not only COVID-19 ... if the vaccines are required to be stored first at KLIA, we have the facilities," he said.

-- BERNAMA