7 DECEMBER 2021 – ProtectHealth would like to highlight that all types of vaccine offered under PICK are free and the cost is borne by the Government. The COVID-19 vaccine produced by Sinovac Biotech Ltd, CoronaVac (Sinovac vaccine) is also offered at vaccination centres (PPV) of private health facilities and off-site PPVs under the supervision of ProtectHealth in the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) booster dose.
The availability of the Sinovac vaccine is limited and is offered to those who are allergic to the COVID-19 vaccine, other than the Sinovac vaccine as certified by a qualified medical practitioner. The Ministry of Health (MOH) has recommended the COVID-19 vaccine produced by Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca for the administration of the booster dose which provides better protection (better efficacy).
ProtectHealth would like to highlight that the Sinovac vaccine is available and is being sold in the private market. As such, there are several private facilities under PICK that are also selling the Sinovac vaccine. This private selling of Sinovac is not under the Government programme, outside of PICK and is not supervised by ProtectHealth.
Those who are taking Sinovac vaccine as the booster are advised to request the private health facility in advance if the facility offers the Sinovac vaccine through PICK. Private health facilities that administer Sinovac vaccine through PICK and the private purchase vaccine programme, must offer the free Sinovac vaccine under PICK before offering the Sinovac through the private purchase vaccine programme to vaccinee.
The PPVs also need to explain to vaccinees with regards to the availability of the Sinovac vaccine under PICK and explain that the Government does not bear the cost for the vaccine purchase programme at private health facilities.
ProtectHealth at the same time, calls on those who have received the booster dose vaccine appointments to be administered with the vaccine according to the date, time, and place assigned to them. The Government offers the COVID-19 vaccine free of charge to all Malaysian residents, and the type of vaccine provided for the booster dose is based on recommendations by experts.
As of December 6, 2021, private health facilities and off-site PPVs under the supervision of ProtectHealth have administered over 1.91 million booster doses or 63% of the total 3,048,396 doses administered in PICK.
About ProtectHealth Corporation Sdn. Bhd.
Incorporated on 19 December 2016, ProtectHealth Corporation Sdn Bhd (ProtectHealth) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of ProtectHealth Malaysia, established under the Ministry of Health, Malaysia (MOH). As a not-for-profit company, ProtectHealth coordinates, administers and manages initiatives related to financing healthcare services as mandated by MOH.
ProtectHealth is the healthcare scheme administrator for Skim Peduli Kesihatan untuk Kumpulan B40 (PeKa B40), electronic service provider (ESP) for Skim Perlindungan Insurans Kesihatan Pekerja Asing (SPIKPA) and latest, the implementer of private medical practitioner and healthcare NGO participation in the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme.
