Uggah speaking during a press conference on July 9 as Minister of Local Government and Housing Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian (left) looks on. – Photo by Chimon Upon
KUCHING (Sept 5): Sarawak is now finalising preparations to start its Covid-19 vaccination for those aged below 18 years old on Wednesday (Sept 8), said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah.
The Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman said the immunisation for those aged below 18 years old is needed to protect them from the Covid-19.
“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, because the state had reached its benchmark of 80 per cent vaccinated adults,” he said. in a statement today.
He explained that once the preparations had been done, the relevant announcements of details would be made.
Khairy had announced in Putrajaya yesterday that Malaysia will begin vaccinating teenagers under 18 starting with Sarawak.
The new Health Minister said the ministry will set a target for adolescents vaccination according to the supply of vaccines it gets.
He had been quoted saying that he hoped as ‘many teens as possible’ will get vaccinated in the next 100 days, and that ‘all teens have completed their vaccination’ at the start of the school term next year.
So far, the government has only approved the usage of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines for adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17.
The Health Ministry had said it will be carrying out the immunisation programme for adolescents at special vaccination centres (PPVs), health clinics and outreach programmes at schools.
On another matter, Uggah in his statement again appealed to a small group of Sarawakians who had refused or were still reluctant to be vaccinated to do so immediately.
“We still have 62 vaccination centres comprising public PPcs and Health Clinics in operation statewide.
“Please take note that the final day for those getting the first dose is tomorrow (Sept 6).
“They can walk in to their nearest PPV or health clinics without the need for appointment,” he said.
He added for those who had received their first dose, they could come to these venues for their second dose after a lapse of 21 days.
“As long as there were people not vaccinated, 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,” he said.
Uggah also said they would also be deprived of many privileges offered to those already vaccinated.
On another note, Uggah said as of today, a cumulative 3,716,143 vaccine doses had been administered to eligible people in the state.
“These included 1,883,698 (91.2 per cent) for the first dose and 1,832,445 (88.7 per cent) the second dose.”