The state government is implementing five new initiatives focusing on the rollout of vaccination for the public to achieve herd immunity as soon as possible.
According to the Menteri Besar of Perak, Dato’ Saarani Mohamad, through these initiatives, the government is targeting 15,000 daily doses for the month of June, in comparison to the average of 8,000 only in May.
“Firstly, the government will be implementing targeted RTK Antigen COVID-19 Screening programmes based on analyses of transmission hotspot localities by the State Health Department, which could identify asymptomatic positive cases that possess equally high risks of spreading the virus.
“Also, the COVID-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) has identified two locations for the Drive-through Vaccination Centre (PPV) Initiative, which are at the PPV in Stadium Indera Mulia itself and Meru Raya Roundabout.
“We’re confident that the drive-through initiative will be able to increase the range of daily vaccination doses to between 800 to 1,500, besides reducing overcrowding at existing PPVs.
“This initiative started at Kinta District, seeing that the district has the highest number of citizens, but it’ll be expanded to other districts in stages.
“Besides that, to ensure that no one is left behind in vaccination affairs, an outreach programme has been in execution, whereby 2,270 individuals have been vaccinated as of June 1.
“Mobile vaccination teams were already dispatched to nursing homes for senior citizens and special needs. They’ll also be entering inland aided by other agencies.
“Realising that transportation is the primary factor to vaccine recipients’ absence, the government is providing more than 80 vehicles which are able to fetch around 1,000 individuals to PPVs daily.
“Last but not least, the state government highly welcomes the federal government’s decision in allowing Pharmaniaga (an integrated pharmaceutical group) to supply 7 million doses of Sinovac vaccines to the state government, government-linked companies (GLC) and private sectors.
“As such, the government has requested Perak State Development Corporation (PKNP) via its subsidiary MajuPerak to continue purchasing vaccine supplies from Pharmaniaga, which will enable any individual or companies to obtain paid vaccines for employees.”
He told reporters during an online media session via Zoom earlier today (June 4).
Saarani added, the number of individuals in Perak aged 18 and above who are registered as vaccine recipients via MySejahtera are still low, at only 889,690 out of 1.86 million, equivalent to 46 percent.
“I urge citizens from all walks of life to not waste any more time by registering with MySejahtera in order for us to achieve herd immunity and prevent the virus from spreading further like wildfire,” he expressed.
Chris Teh
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