PETALING JAYA: Contributors to the Social Security Organization (Socso) can receive Covid-19 benefits, but this is limited to certain professions only.

From April 1, all Covid-19-related claims would be dealt with under the occupational disease category, Socso said.

“If contributors wish to make claims for Covid-19 benefits, this remains eligible – however, this is limited to professions exposed to biological agents and also infections among healthcare workers.

“The claim will be treated as an occupational disease and eligible policyholders will receive benefits under the workers’ compensation scheme or the disability scheme.

“This covers temporary disability benefits, permanent disability benefits, retirement pension, disability pension and funeral management benefits,” Socso said in a statement yesterday.

Previously, it treated Covid-19 benefit claims as an employment injury, instead of an occupational disease, because it wanted to help affected workers.

The decision to now treat Covid-19 benefit claims as an occupational disease was in line with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s announcement that the country would begin its transition to the endemic phase from April 1, it said. said Socso.

“This implementation is considered timely as economic activities across the country are beginning to show positive development and more people are already back to work. It is also in line with the ‘exit strategy’ designed by the government so that the country can return to almost normal life after more than two years of war against Covid-19,” he said.

For claims involving contributors confirmed positive before April 1, Socso said the claims would still be treated as an employment injury.

She added that the Fifth Employment and Social Security Act defined occupational diseases as those arising out of and in the course of employment.

As Covid-19 was on the list of specified diseases in the Fifth Schedule, it could be considered an occupational disease if it fulfilled the conditions prescribed under Article 28, Fifth Schedule, Part VII, Biological Agents No. 10, Socso said.

“Other infectious diseases that are also categorized as occupational diseases are Nipah virus infection, tuberculosis and leptospirosis,” he added.

He also said that as of March 26, Socso had received 132,988 claims for Covid-19 benefits involving both local and foreign workers.

Of this, more than RM133 million has been paid since the start of the benefit rollout on February 24, 2021.

Socso added that while the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the country had been unexpected, at the same time it had brought the social protection ecosystem to a higher and more extensive level than at the time. pre-pandemic.

“Socso is committed to continuously improving its social protection network to ensure the well-being of the Malaysian family, especially for its more than nine million contributors nationwide,” he said.

For more information, visit the Socso website at www.perkeso.gov.my, call the Socso Careline number at 1-300-22-8000, or email [email protected] my.