KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 24 — Low cost airline, AirAsia Group Bhd is upbeat with the vaccination programme that kicked off today, urging Malaysians to get the jab and be ready to fly.

Chief executive officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes also urged everyone to dispel any misinformation around the vaccines, and trust the scientists and experts.

"Now is the time for us to band together and show how Malaysia is united and assist the government to get the vaccines out to the population.

"Vaccines are the answer to literally give the global tourism industry and local economies all over the world, a much needed shot in the arm,” he said in a statement today.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin spearheaded the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme and became the first person in the country to be injected with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at Putrajaya Health Clinic in Precinct 11.

Fernandes said AirAsia is more than well prepared and ready to paint the skies red once again with many new innovations and digital contactless procedures to ensure the highest standards of guest hygiene and safety.

He said the vaccination rollout gave the airline the clearest, most tangible timeline yet as to when the pandemic would be brought under full control and life would be back to normal again, albeit with new norms.

"With a contribution of 15 per cent to the annual gross domestic product and 24 per cent of total employment in the country, tourism is one of the most important economic drivers and its members should be given priority to receive the vaccination,” he said.

AirAsia looks forward to playing an active role in the vaccination campaign.

Its logistics arm, Teleport is willing to help wherever it can, including transporting vaccines from China and Russia when they are available, and distributing them domestically in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, India and other countries. — Bernama