Covid-19 vaccination for Sarawak homeless to begin Aug 8 — Fatimah
KUCHING: The Covid-19 vaccination programme for the homeless in Sarawak will be implemented in nine divisions starting Aug 8, said Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah.
She said the programme is an integrated or inter-agency collaboration with the Resident’s Office, divisional health office, divisional welfare office, Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), Immigration Department and local authorities (PBT).
“In the meantime, before this programme begins, my ministry together with the relevant agencies will hold an observation operation from July 18 to Aug 1 to obtain the profiles of the homeless as well as to manage vaccination needs,” she said.
Fatimah who visited Desa Bina Diri Kuching at Jalan Datuk Mohd Musa, Kota Samarahan yesterday to observe the vaccination of residents there, said the Sarawak government is committed to having at least 80 per cent of the people vaccinated to achieve herd immunity.
“Therefore, such programme will ensure that no group is left behind from the vaccination programme, including the homeless people who are not in any institution,” she added.
Fatimah noted that for now, the best option would be to give the homeless a single-dose vaccine.
“This is because we understand the situation of homeless people who are always on the move. To avoid the homeless from not receiving the second dose, everyone is of the view that a single-dose vaccine is most suitable for this group.”
On a related note, Fatimah said as of July this year, the number of active homeless people in Sarawak was 221.
“This number will be registered for vaccination. In Kuching there are 92 people, Sibu 30 people, Miri (66), Bintulu (21), Sarikei (5), Sri Aman (1) and Kapit (6),” she said.