Clarence Ting
SIBU (July 5): Sibu can achieve herd immunity by the end of July if everyone joins hands to get eligible recipients vaccinated, said Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) chairman Clarence Ting.
He said that the district was close to achieving herd immunity but a lot of effort was still required from Sibu folk.
“I hope so (that Sibu can achieve herd immunity by the end of July). We are very near but it still takes a lot of effort from everyone in Sibu.
“Therefore, please check with your friends, relatives as well as your friends’ friends if they have been vaccinated and whether they know of anyone that has yet to be vaccinated.
“If everyone in Sibu starts asking these questions, I think we will achieve herd immunity by end of JUly,” Ting told reporters when met at the University College of Technology Sarawak (UCTS) industrial vaccination centre (PPVIN) here tonight.
He was prompted for his view if Sibu could achieve herd immunity by the end of July.
When asked to comment on Sibu recording 32 new cases on Monday, he said it had been a while that the district noted such a low figure and believed it was due to the extensive vaccination programme here.
“I would like to urge those yet to be vaccinated or are still thinking whether to go for vaccination or not to come forward (for vaccination),” Ting said.
Meanwhile, touching on the town’s economy, he said whether businesses could fully open depended on the number of people vaccinated in Sibu.
“As SMC chairman, I am very concerned, we can’t close continuously because business will be affected. I am sure a lot of businesses are suffering.
“In this regard, I hope that with the vaccination rate picking up steam, it will help to reduce Covid-19 cases to enable Sibu to open up and do business,” he said.
Ting also urged more of the companies in PPVIN to get their staff vaccinated.
Earlier, he said the PPVIN housed in UCTS campus, which commenced on June 28, has vaccinated about 14,000 people over a span of seven days.
The second phase of the programme involving 3,687 people will commence on Thursday (July 8).
For the record, PPVIN is to cater for employees of the industries.