KUCHING, Sept 5: Sarawak is finalising preparations to vaccinate those below 18-years-old to protect them from Covid-19.
Sarawak Disaster Management Committee( SDMC) chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah in a statement today said the vaccination rollout will begin this Wednesday (Sept 8).
“We are now making preparations to implement this. Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin had yesterday (Sept 4) announced that the nationwide programme would begin in Sarawak this Wednesday.
“He (Khairy) said this was because the State had reached its benchmark of 80 per cent vaccinated adults,” said Uggah, adding that once preparations were completed, further details would be announced.
Meanwhile, Uggah, who is also the Deputy Chief Minister, appealed to the minority of Sarawakians who had refused or were still reluctant to be vaccinated to do so immediately.
“We still have 62 vaccination centres (public PPV and health clinics) in operation statewide.
“Please take note that the final day for those getting the first dose is tomorrow (Sept 6), and they can walk in to their nearest PPV or health clinic without the need for appointment,” he said.
Uggah explained that those who had already received their first dose could come to these venues for their second dose after a lapse of 21 days.
He pointed out that as long as people remained unvaccinated, they would endanger themselves and others around them.
“This is more so now that we are experiencing more positive cases as well as the presence of the more infectious and deadly Delta variant.
“They would also be deprived of many privileges offered to those already vaccinated,” he said.
On another note, Uggah disclosed as of today (Sept 5), a total of 3,716,143 vaccine doses had been administered to eligible people in the State.
“These include 1,883,698 (91.2 per cent) for the first dose and 1,832,445 (88.7 per cent) the second dose,” he said. – DayakDaily.
