By Adrian Lim and Karen Bong
KUCHING, July 1: After a month of aggressive vaccination drives, Sarawak has hit 50 per cent of the population being vaccinated with at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccines.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg believed that if the trend of vaccination continues, the State will be able to achieve 80 per cent herd immunity by the end of Aug 2021.
“With Sibu already hitting 64 per cent vaccination coverage as of yesterday (June 30), on average we have achieved 50 per cent and above for major towns including Bintulu.
“If this is the trend, Sarawakians are protected from Covid-19, at least people are safe,” he said during a press conference after visiting the Jalan Masjid Health Clinic vaccination centre (PPV) at Majma Hall here today.
He said the response for vaccination from the community was very encouraging with about 300,000 residents in Kuching including Lundu and Bau.
Abang Johari, who is also Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) chairman, said there are 583,000 residents in Kuching who are eligible for the vaccination, out of which 291,000 people have received their first dose.
At this rate, he believed Kuching will be able to achieve 80 per cent of the population vaccinated with at least one dose by the end of July or first week of August.
Nonetheless, he reminded the people not to be complacent but continue to adhere to the standard operating procedure (SOP) including wearing face masks, practicing physical distancing, and maintaining a high standard of hygiene in the new normal.
He also extended his appreciation to frontliners, volunteers and community leaders in assisting the inoculation programme in Sarawak.
Among those accompanying Abang Johari were Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas and Minister for Local Government and Housing Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian.
Uggah said Sarawak has the capacity to roll out a maximum of 70,000 doses daily at present, provided that the supply of vaccines is sufficient.
Sarawak has received nearly two million doses of vaccines so far comprising the Pfizer-BioNTech, Sinovac and AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccines.
Uggah said the machinery for vaccination covers the entire State from Lundu to Limbang including the remote interior areas adding that the machinery comprised not only healthcare frontliners but also the military personnel and others. — DayakDaily
