Labuan media workers among first vaccinated

LABUAN: Ten media representatives and several healthcare personnel were among the first group to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine under the National Immunisation Programme in Labuan yesterday.

Others joining the queue were Labuan Corporation Advisory Council chairman Senator Datuk Bashir Alias, Labuan MP Datuk Rozman Isli, Labuan Natural Disaster Management Committee chairman Rithuan Ismail, Labuan police chief DSP Mohd Ibrahim Mohd Ghani and Labuan National Security Council director Mohd Hafiez Daud.

Members of the media were from the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama), Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) and the Information Department, all based in Labuan.

Yesterday’s immunisation programme commenced at the Membedai Health Clinic, with Labuan health director Dr Ismuni Bohari getting the first jab, followed by other local leaders, 15 healthcare personnel and other government heads.

Bashir, when launching the immunisation programme, said that the first phase would run until April, and be followed by the second phase until August (for senior citizens aged 60 and above and vulnerable groups with morbidity problems as well as persons with disabilities (PwD), with the third phase to commence from May this year until February next year. “The immunisation exercise would cover the approximately 103,000 total population in Labuan, and is scheduled to run until February next year,” he said.

The first batch of 4,680 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine for Labuan arrived safely at the Labuan Ro-Ro Ferry Terminal on Friday, and the first phase would involve 2,340 healthcare and non-healthcare frontliners, local leaders and Labuan-based media representatives.

Labuan Hospital staff, doctors and nurses will receive the vaccine beginning tomorrow at the hospital premises, with its director Dr Adnan Musa Balidran to receive the first shot.