ProtectHealth Corp has advised people who are eligible for a booster but have yet to get an appointment to join a waiting list at their nearest vaccination centre (PPV).

Their advice follows the Health Ministry’s move to shorten the wait for a booster shot for Pfizer, Moderna, and AstraZeneca vaccine recipients.

The current booster interval is only three months after the second dose, compared to six months before.

This was in response to the global spread of the Omicron variant of the virus that causes Covid-19.

Mounting evidence shows that the primary vaccination series of many existing vaccines provide inadequate protection against the new variant. A booster shot is shown to significantly restore protection against the disease.

“ProtectHealth advises those who are eligible and have not received the MySejahtera appointment yet, they may register on the waitlist at the PPV of their choice,” said ProtectHealth today.

ProtectHealth is owned by the Health Ministry and is a liaison for the private sector’s involvement in the National Covid-19 Immunisation Program.

The booster shots are offered for free. Appointments are being issued through MySejahtera to eligible persons, with priority for groups such as senior citizens and people with co-morbidities.

In event of a cancellation or no-show to these priority appointments, people on the waiting list may be called up to take the booster shot instead.

Those who have already been given an appointment are advised to stick to it and not register themselves on a waiting list.

ProtectHealth has outlined the steps for signing up to a waiting list. The steps are essentially unchanged since the waiting list system was implemented on Nov 22:

1. Go to ProtectHealth’s list of vaccination centres here.

2. Find a PPV on the list that is convenient for you. The list will be updated from time to time.

3. Call, email, or show up in person at your chosen PPV to register. You are advised to register at one PPV only to avoid double-booking.

4. After you have successfully registered, the PPV will contact you and others on the waitlist in the event someone who was issued an appointment via MySejahtera doesn’t show up or cancels their appointment.

5. Go to the PPV as instructed to get your booster shot.

ProtectHealth said there are 1,951 private health facilities operating as PPVs, comprising clinics, hospitals, and ambulatory care centres.

In addition, there are 76 off-site PPVs under ProtectHealth that can each administer 500 to 3,000 booster doses per day, as well as 72 outreach PPVs.