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SINGAPORE: Some Malaysian freight drivers and accompanying personnel began receiving the Covid-19 vaccine in Singapore today.
“One of my colleagues and I were among the 20 freight drivers who arrived at the Sungei Kadut vaccination facility this morning for our first dose of vaccine,” Mohd Osman Yazed said, when Bernama contacted him.
Mohd Osman, 33, said he received a call and text message from the Short Message Service (SMS) last week from the relevant Singapore authority to schedule today’s appointment for his first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. .
Immediately, the trucker said he informed his employer and an arrangement was made for him and his colleague to enter the city-state on the date of the appointment.
“I arrived here at the facility around 10 am from the Woodlands ground checkpoint. The process went smoothly. Immediately after receiving the jab, I was asked to rest for about 30 minutes to observe it.
“I feel a little ‘elongated’ (numb) in the jab area. That’s all. The rest I’m fine, ”he said, adding that the appointment for the second dose is April 10.
From Baling, Kedah, Mohd Osman said he was informed that there is another facility established in Joo Koon here for freight drivers entering Singapore from the Tuas ground checkpoint.
Meanwhile, his 23-year-old colleague Mohammad Huzaimi Zainal Abidin said he is willing to take the hit as he has to enter the republic almost twice a day to ship goods.
“It’s for my own health,” said Mohammad Huzaimi, a 40-foot container driver from Kota Tinggi, Johor.
When asked how many freight drivers were at the facility this morning, Mohammad Huzaimi said he could not say exactly, but truckers were seen entering the facility as he was about to leave the area.
In a WhatsApp group “Lori Precast”, some of the truckers were seen sharing the SMS notification they received from the authority saying that they had been selected for the vaccination program.
Some have their appointment scheduled for the next week.
Singapore’s Ministry of Health (MOH) had said on March 8 that the Covid-19 vaccine will be offered later this month to selected freight drivers and accompanying personnel entering Singapore from Malaysia on a regular basis.
It aims to minimize transmission risks for workers supplying essential goods to Singapore, the ministry said.
On March 18, the Republic’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MTI) said that Malaysian freight drivers and accompanying personnel who have taken both doses of the vaccine will receive a certificate of immunization.
The ministry said they will be exempt from daily tests on arrival (OAT) 14 days after the second dose.
According to Malaysian Health Minister Datuk Seri, Dr. Adham Baba, there are between 3,000 and 4,000 delivery employees entering Singapore daily. Called
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