SHAH ALAM, Jan 26 — An estimated one million foreign workers in Selangor will be vaccinated as part of the state government’s support for Putrajaya’s Covid-19 vaccination plan, MalaysiaKini reported today.
Its Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari said the vaccination of foreign workers must be considered in order to achieve the herd immunity target in the state, which covers over six million people.
“Of course, we want to protect everyone because in theory to achieve herd immunity, we need to vaccinate between 65 and 70 per cent of the population.
“After receiving the vaccine, I was informed that an individual will be immune to the virus but he or she can still be a carrier. So like it or not, others (in the community) must also be immune.
“We are using the most conservative estimate, around one million foreign workers… They must be vaccinated as well to continue working and to remain in the community,” MalaysiaKini quoted Amirudin.
Amirudin said it has to be taken into account that there are foreign workers living within the local community and also a large number of factories in the state.
“So definitely, they (foreign workers) too need vaccines because they are living in-community.
“Otherwise, our community (of locals) will be immune, but there are migrant workers who are not because we did not provide them with the vaccine.
“This is why the state government is also ready to provide vaccines to registered migrant workers through their employers, in order to achieve herd immunity,” said Amirudin, adding that the vaccination of foreign workers, however, will not be free and that the vaccines could be offered at a subsidised price or at cost price.
On January 18, Amirudin had said that the state administration plans to purchase five million doses of the vaccine for its people and the effort was welcomed by Federal government and the Health Ministry.
