PUTRAJAYA: A driver with the Putrajaya district health clinic, Clement Marai Francis, said he was grateful to be among the first recipients of Covid-19 vaccine.
The 36-year-old and three staff of the Health Ministry received the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine together with Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah today.
"I am grateful the be among the earliest recipients of the vaccine," he said, adding that he registered to be vaccinated as soon as the government announced the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme.
Clement acknowledged that his job came with health and safety risks in the wake of the pandemic, and it was his responsibility to protect himself and his loved ones from the virus.
"By getting inoculated, it provided relief to me knowing that I can now carry out my responsibilities without worrying about the risks of getting infected or spreading the virus to my family members.
"I can now return home from work to my family members with a clear mind, without having fear of spreading the virus to them," he said.
His job includes transporting Covid-19 patients to designated facilities and bringing samples of swab tests from people placed under quarantine at designated quarantine centres, to laboratories at health facilities.
Other staff members with the ministry who received the vaccination today are Dr Tan Yee Ling, 30, Sheilla Melissa Sikin, 31, and Khairul Asraf Mohd Yassin, 44.
Dr Tan is a medical officer at the Presint 9 health clinic, while Sheilla works as a nurse there. Khairul Asraf, who is an assistant medical officer, has been with the ministry for 20 years.
Sharing his experience of being among the first to be inoculated in the country's largest vaccination exercise, Clement said he did not have any adverse reaction to the vaccine after receiving the jab.
"The vaccination process was smooth and everything went well," he said.
Khairul Asraf also said he did not experience any side effects to the vaccine.
"Alhamdulillah, I did not have any side effects after receiving the vaccination.
"I hope other people will not hesitate to come forward and register to be part of the national vaccination programme," said the medical officer who had been involved in the management of Covid-19 outbreak since the global pandemic hit the country in March last year.
"It is important for the country to win in our battle against the pandemic," he said.
Dr Tan and Sheilla, together with Khairul Asraf, described the national vaccination programme as light at the end of the tunnel for the country in the fight against pandemic which began last year.
"I am grateful to have been selected to receive the vaccine. I am also proud to be among the earliest recipients of the vaccine, alongside with the country's leader and the health director-general," said Dr Tan.