FASTER ROLLOUT
THE govt plans to complete all phases of the National Immunisation Programme faster, by the end of this year, with the mobilisation of bigger centres that can accommodate up to 8,000 people a day.
THE government plans to complete all three phases of the National Covid19 Immunisation Programme (NIP) by year end. The ambitious undertaking will be aided by the setting up of large-scale vaccination centres in every state to inoculate as many people as possible under the third phase of the NIP.
Announcing this yesterday, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had instructed his ministry to complete all the three phases of the NIP this year.
The first phase, from February to next month, involves frontliners. The second phase, from next month to August, will involve senior citizens aged 60 and above, vulnerable groups with comorbidities and disabled people.
The third phase, initially set for May to February next year, involves people aged 18 and above.
He said the ministry was drafting a strategy and allocations for vaccination centres (PPV) for the third phase of the NIP.
“We are looking at PPV that can accommodate 8,000 people per day.
“This is what we are planning at Bukit Jalil Stadium,” he said after visiting the PPV at Indera Mulia Stadium here yesterday.
He said the same would apply to Perak.
“For Perak, I will discuss with Menteri Besar Datuk Saarani Mohamad to have bigger PPV in the state for the third phase.
“After Selangor, Perak is the state with the most number of people who have received the first dose of the vaccine.
“This is due to good planning
and a high vaccination rate as Indera Mulia Stadium is the largest PPV in Perak, with 12 vaccination rooms.”
He said Kinta held the distinction of being the district with the highest number of vaccinations nationwide.
He said up to Monday, 4,482 people have been vaccinated in Kinta district’s PPV.
“What is interesting is the vaccination rate. It started with only 180 daily and now it can reach 1,440 from this PPV alone.
“The flow is efficient. Everyone knows what they are doing. The queue management is effective. We will urge other PPV nationwide to follow this system so that people don’t have to wait too long.”
He said up to Monday, 321,331 people have been vaccinated nationwide, with vaccine registration standing at 5.6 million people.
On reports that Pahang and Sarawak were exploring the possibility of buying their own Covid19 vaccines, Khairy said the federal government had no objections.
“Anyone can apply to the ministry (to buy vaccines), but the issue now is the lack of supply and access, not the intention to purchase it. If they can buy it, I have no problem with it.”
He said Johor and Selangor had also declared their interest in buying their vaccines, but they had yet to make a formal application.
“The federal government has been negotiating since last year (to buy vaccines) and it is not easy.”
Khairy said he was approached by the Indian High Commission on the possible purchase of the Novavax vaccine.
He said India had set several conditions on a possible deal for its Covid-19 vaccine from Bharat Biotech, which has yet to conduct Phase Three of clinical trials.