Abg Jo among first in Sarawak to get Covid-19 vaccine
KUCHING: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg yesterday received his first Covid-19 vaccine dose at the Petra Jaya Health Clinic here, spearheading the first phase of the Sarawak Covid-19 vaccination programme.
He arrived at the clinic at 3pm accompanied by Deputy Chief Ministers Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan and Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, Local Government and Housing Minister Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian, and Sarawak Health director Dr Chin Zin Hing.
Abang Johari was asked to review his consent form before receiving his injection of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine.
The first 23,400 doses of the vaccine for Sarawak arrived here on Wednesday, with more doses scheduled to arrive in the state through March.
After Abang Johari, the vaccine was administered to Awang Tengah, followed by Dr Sim and Dr Chin.
Abang Johari remarked later that he did not feel any unusual side effects, adding that the jab felt like an ant bite.
Petra Jaya health clinic head nurse Monica Aok administered the vaccine assisted by nurse Tan Chin Yeh.
Uggah, meanwhile, was not vaccinated yesterday due to health reasons, an aide said. The Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman will instead be vaccinated later today (Feb 27).
Others vaccinated at the clinic yesterday were Petra Jaya health clinic nurse Juliet Tijun, 44, and Kuching Division chief assistant medical officer Beti Inka, 56.
Abang Johari is set to officially launch Sarawak's vaccination programme at Stadium Perpaduan here today (Feb 27).
To be carried out in three stages, the state government aims to complete the vaccination programme by August this year instead of February next year under the national plan.
The first phase is expected to end on March 31, covering a total of 97,161 front-liners.
The second and third phases of the state's vaccination programme will run from April 1 until Aug 31.
The second phase will cover 929,435 individuals from the elderly and high-risk group, namely those with comorbidities, whereas the third phase will be administered to 992,834 individuals who are aged 18 and above.
Several vaccination centres would be set up across the state including public health facilities, selected private health facilities, community halls, and selected old folks homes.
A total of 2,019,431 Sarawakians are eligible for the free Covid19 vaccinations, as well as some 200,000 non-Sarawakian citizens, which is expected to cover approximately 80 per cent of the state's population to achieve herd immunity.
According to the vaccine information sheet in My Seja ht era, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine would be administered in two doses 21 days apart.
In a statement on Feb 24, Dr Chin advised those who had yet to sign up for the free vaccination programme to do so through the MySejahtera app on their smartphones, or go to the nearest district office, or register through their community leaders and village security and development committee (JKKK).
Those who signed up through MySejahtera will be notified on the day and location to receive their vaccination on their smartphone through the app's notifications, while those who signed up manually would be given an appointment card or would be notified via a phone call.
For more information, call the Health Department's hotline numbers 082-473275, 082-473276, 082-473304, 082-473320, or 082473345.