PUTRAJAYA:The members of Parliament (MPs) and state assemblymen will be among the recipients of the COVID-19 vaccine under the first phase of the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme, said Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

He said the matter was agreed to by the Special Committee on COVID-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee (JKJAV) as MPs and state assemblymen usually work closely with the grassroots community.

"Since the nature of their job is such, we agree that the MPs and state assemblymen, regardless from which party, will be given the vaccine during the first phase so that they can discharge their duties more effectively and safely," he added.

Muhyiddin said this during a press conference after launching the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme Handbook here today which was also attended by Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba and Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who is also JKJAV co-chairman.

The National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme will be implemented in phases beginning Feb 26, with Muhyiddin to receive the vaccine on that day, together with the frontliners.

-- BERNAMA