Vaccine Mobile Trucks MyMedic To Jab 100 A Day At KL High Risk Areas

Vaccine mobile trucks & drive-through services

Full lockdown woes are back for many as Phase 1 of MCO 3.0 kick starts tomorrow with a slew of new SOPs. Determined to help beat this pandemic with a multi-pronged approach, the government is launching the latest pilot programme – vaccine mobile trucks, formally called MyMedic.

30 of these vaccine mobile trucks will be launched soon, and will aim to jab 100 individuals a day each. It’ll first target high-risk areas in KL, such as residents in People’s Housing Program (PPR) and construction site zones. If successful, its services will be expanded to cover more locations.

Aim for 100 vaccinated individuals a day

Vaccine on wheels, or vaccine mobile trucks, have recently become popular in the US in hopes of reaching those who are struggling to get vaccinated at this time. Malaysia is taking a step in the same direction with the introduction of MyMedic.

Covid-19 National Immunisation Programme Minister Khairy Jamaluddin announced in a press conference today, 31st May 2021, that 30 of these vaccine mobile trucks will be launched in KL during MCO 3.0.

However, no exact dates as to when they will be launched was given.

Mock-up image of what a MyMedia vaccine mobile truck will look like
Image credit: @AnnuarMusa

The aim of these trucks is to inoculate individuals in areas which have recorded high COVID-19 counts. As such, they will be first stationed at PPRs and construction sites in KL, as reported by New Straits Times.

Astro Awani also reports that each truck is expected to administer 100 vaccine doses a day. The decision to expand these vaccine mobile truck services to other areas, and cover different groups, will be confirmed by the government later.

Image credit: @AnnuarMusa

Photos shared by Federal Territories Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa on his official Twitter account shows what MyMedic vaccine mobile trucks would look like when launched.

A previous report by Free Malaysia Today on 25th May also quoted Annuar saying that authorities plan to launch these trucks in 60 identified areas around KL on a scheduled basis. They will also focus on the elderly and vulnerable groups, as well as refugees in Malaysia.

Other new ways to get vaccinated

To further step up efforts in vaccinating Malaysians quickly, 5 new mega COVID-19 vaccination centres (PPV) will be set up in Selangor and KL. These locations are:

Mines International Exhibition and Convention Centre (Selangor)
Mara Technological Institute University (Selangor)
Puncak Alam and Setia City Convention Centre (Selangor)
Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KL)
Bukit Jalil Stadium (KL)

360 private clinics in KL will become PPVs to speed up the National Immunisation Programme in Malaysia, as reported by The Star on 30th May. All in all, the government aims to turn 1,000 general practitioner clinics and private hospitals into PPVs by 30th June so Malaysians can easily get vaccinated, according to a report by The Edge Markets. They will be able to administer 40,000 vaccines per day.

However, this is subject to the availability of vaccines in the country.

Drive-through vaccination services at HUSM
Image credit: JKJAV

For an even easier way of getting vaccinated, drive–through vaccination services are also being considered by the government, as reported by Harian Metro on 30th May. A drive-through PPV service at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM) in Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, has been hailed as successful by Khairy, with 131 individuals vaccinated via drive through as of 30th May.

The idea is still in the pilot stage, however, with relevant guidelines still being drafted for these services.

More ways to get vaccinated, including vaccine mobile trucks

With many of us still on the waiting list to get vaccinated, it comes as a relief to hear that there’ll be more ways of getting vaccinated in Malaysia in the near future to help speed up the National Immunisation Programme. These methods will also get to reach communities that may be struggling to get themselves to a vaccination centre at this moment.