PUTRAJAYA, 9 JULY: Starting July 26, the first industrial vaccination centre (PPVIN) for the Retail Industry Vaccination Programme (RiVAC) will open in Cititel Mid Valley City in Kuala Lumpur. The Mid Valley City PPVIN, which has a capacity of 1,500 beneficiaries every day under RiVAC, is expected to vaccinate 31,000 frontline workers in the retail economic sector in Kuala Lumpur, according to Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi.
Cashiers, salespeople, restaurant employees, supermarket employees, department store employees, barbers and beauticians, shopping complex management staff, and distribution chain workers are among those targeted by RiVAC, according to him.
“The purpose of RiVAC is to ensure that the retail sector can deliver both shopping services and a safe and secure consumer experience,” he stated today in a statement.
Companies and employers participating in RiVAC, according to Nanta, will be bound by the terms and conditions put forth by the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) and the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry in the implementation of the immunization program through PPVIN (KPDNHEP).
“Under RiVAC, employers are not authorized to impose any charge or wage decrease on their employees,” he explained.
Since May 26, KPDNHEP has received 186,245 RiVAC registrations from 1,396 firms around the country, according to Nanta.
“KPDNHEP hopes to enroll 500,000 frontline workers in the retail economic sector across the country as soon as feasible,” he stated.
RiVAC, which is a public-private partnership between KPDNHEP and retail industry participants such as the Malaysian Shopping Malls Association (PPK), which is fully supported by CITF, will be expanded to a number of additional locations, which will be revealed as they become available, he said.
He added that the KPDNHEP-CITF collaboration would be extended to state governments in order to speed up the immunization program for retail sector economic frontliners.
“KPDNHEP is committed to ensuring that the retail sector is resurrected and fully operational as soon as possible,” he stated. “This can only be achieved if vaccine administration at all levels of the economy can be completely implemented through RiVAC.”
Any questions about RiVAC should be directed to the Distributive Trade and Services Industry Secretariat (SPIP) at 03-8882 5881/5905 or [email protected]./n
