PENANG’S LARGEST CONVENTION HOTEL REOPENS
After its announcement of closure in March, Penang’s largest convention hotel, the Hotel Equatorial Penang (HEP) reopens on Monday, 28 June 2021 as one of the biggest Covid-19 Vaccine Administration Centre or PPV in the state.
The hotel is expected to be administering approximately 1,600 doses of vaccine per day with the assistance of 40 paid staff and 4 management staff. The focused group to receive vaccines from the hotel include those working in Penang’s Business & Industrial sectors and Small Medium Industries (SMI).
To further understand the procedures and arrangements, the Hon. Mr Yeoh Soon Hin (Penang State Executive Councilor for Tourism and Creative Economy) together with Mr Ashwin Gunasekeran (Chief Executive Officer of Penang Convention & Exhibition Bureau (PCEB)) conducted a site inspection of the hotel this afternoon.
The conversion involves one of the largest column free ballrooms in the hotel – the Grand Ballroom which can previously accommodate up to 2,000 guests in general prior to social distancing.
Mr Alan Ong, advisor to Hotel Equatorial Penang explains that the decision to convert the hotel into a PPV is a joint effort between HEP and the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry (MOSTI), International Trade and Industry Ministry (MITI) and Penang Health Department (JKNPP) through the COVID-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) and ProtectHealth Corporation Sdn Bhd (ProtectHealth) under the Ministry of Health (MOH).