Abang Johari (left) interacting with an teenager about to receive her Covid-19 vaccine at the Telaga Ai Health Clinic today. – Bernama photo
KUCHING (Sept 8): The total number of daily Covid-19 cases in Sarawak, exceeding 3,000 for the past three days, shows that the state has started to transition from the pandemic to endemic phase, when almost all cases are asymptomatic or showing mild symptoms only.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said that the Covid-19 vaccination programme, carried out in Sarawak since February, had succeeded in boosting the immune system and reducing the serious effects of the disease.
“According to health experts, the situation is the same as cholera, SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and swine flu, which (Covid virus) can be fought, which will lead to a phase called endemic. We will live with the virus, but we have a healthy immune system in the body (to protect) us,” he said.
Abang Johari was speaking to reporters after inspecting the vaccination exercise for teenagers, aged 16 to 17, at Kampung Telaga Air, about 25 km from here.
He also said that thus far, Sarawak had achieved 88.9 per cent of the two-dose vaccination for eligible adults, or 65.1 of its entire population.
This percentage, he said, would continue to increase, as the vaccination programme was still ongoing. – Bernama