KUCHING (Aug 21): Sarawak will start vaccinating those aged 15 to 17 years old next week, said Local Government and Housing Minister Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian.
He stressed that vaccinations would allow Sarawakians to live with Covid-19 and re-open safely as Covid-19 has been endemic in the community for a while.
“It is important for us to vaccinate as many eligible adults in Sarawak as possible and to start vaccinating (those aged) 15 to 17 years old in Sarawak next week,” Dr Sim said in a Facebook post today.
He pointed out that vaccinations have resulted in lower clinical severity and deaths as seen in the state’s daily cases for yesterday (Aug 20).
He said the numbers were a reflection of the local community transmission of the Delta variant in the last 14 days.
“Though Sabah and Sarawak both had more than 2,500 cases , Sabah has 20 per cent in Categories 3 to 5 with 17 deaths while Sarawak has 0.04 per cent in Categories 3 to 5, no death, with 99.9 per cent in Category 1 and 2.
“Sabah has 26.9 per cent (that completed) two doses and Sarawak has 83 per cent two doses of vaccination,” he said.
The Ministry of Health categorises Covid-19 patients in five categories, with Categories 1 to 2 refer to those with no symptoms and mild symptoms. Category 3 refers to those with pneumonia, Category 4 patients are those who suffer from pneumonia and require oxygen therapy, and Category 5 patients are those in critical condition and require ventilator support.
Dr Sim also informed that the state is working to prepare extra beds for Covid-19 patients.
“The State Health Department, along with Kuching Division Health Office and Sarawak General Hospital, are working very hard to get extra beds ready (with) 1,702 to the existing 2,997 beds in Quarantine and Low-Risk Treatment Centre (PKRC) for Categories 1 and 2 patients and will continue to add in another 1,000 beds for the next few days but there is a limit especially on manpower soon.
“If you are positive and have been assessed by the medical experts to be suitable for home treatment and quarantine (SHO), your family and you need to strictly complied to the terms and conditions, cooperate with the daily Covid-19 Assessment Centres (CAC) and enforcement teams monitoring and visit,” he said.