Dr Annuar (centre front row), (from left, front row) Khairuddin, Dr Mohd Raili, Dr Teh, Wong (right, second row), Tai (second right, second row) and others pose for the camera at the closing of PPVIN in UCTS campus.
SIBU (Aug 10): Sibu Division is on track to achieve 100 per cent vaccination for the first dose with 94.5 per cent achieved as of Aug 6, said Sibu Division Disaster Committee (SDDMC) coordinator Dr Annuar Rapaee.
He believed with the all-out effort, vaccinating the remaining eligible recipients can be achieved.
“Of course, there were those who are pregnant, with medical conditions and maybe about one per cent who refuse to be vaccinated,” the Assistant Minister of Local Government and Housing told a press conference during the closing of the industrial vaccination centre (PPVIN) housed at the University College of Technology Sarawak (UCTS) campus yesterday evening.
The PPVIN was held in collaboration with Pansar Berhad, UCTS, and SEGi University Sibu Clinical Campus.
Additionally, Dr Annuar held the opinion that adolescents from 12 to 17 years should also be vaccinated.
“If Sarawak Covid-19 Advisory Group (SCoVAG) gives the recommendation for children from 12 to 17 years old be given Covid-19 vaccination, I am sure SDMC (Sarawak Disaster Management Committee) will be forthcoming about it,” the Nangka assemblyman added.
He pointed out that the concern now was reported side effects of myocarditis or heart inflammation of 40 cases per one million doses of mRNA Covid-19 Pfizer vaccine given to males aged 12-29 years.
Adding on, Dr Annuar said Covid-19 cases in Sibu Division for the past couple of days were mostly in Stage 1 (asymptomatic) and Stage 2 (with symptoms but no pneumonia) when hospitalisation is not required.
He also mentioned that high vaccination in the division has reduced the number requiring hospitalisation and intensive care as well as the death toll.
Asked about booster jabs, he said the focus now is consideration to vaccinate adolescents between ages 12 to 17 years.
With him at the press conference were Sibu Resident Wong Hee Sieng, Sibu Divisional Health Officer Dr Teh Jo Hun, Pansar Berhad managing director Pemanca Datuk Jason Tai, UCTS vice chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Khairuddin Abdul Hamid and SEGi University’s dean of Faculty of Medicine Professor Dr Mohd Raili Suhaili.