PENANG’S next strategy to speed up the Covid-19 vaccination programme is to set up mobile vaccination units (MVUs).
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the MVUs would enable those living in rural or out-of-town areas to receive their vaccination easier.
“We must reach out to unvaccinated stragglers in overlooked neighbourhoods, and plug the gap in this nationwide effort to combat Covid-19.
“This is aside from our goal to set up more Covid-19 vaccination centres (PPVs), conduct mass vaccination, and to achieve herd immunity by the end of October,” Chow said.
He said the MVUs, if successful, would focus on reaching out to the people living in low-cost, low medium-cost, and People’s Housing Project (PPR) homes in the state.
“The MVUs will be very important. The state will have to conduct a thorough study to identify the hard-to-reach communities who require such assistance,” Chow said after visiting the PPV at Loh Guan Lye Specialists Centre in George Town today.
Chow said there were still some potential premises that have yet to obtain the approval to operate as PPVs.
“I believe the approvals will be received in due time.
“Previously, the Federal Government had given its assurance that the vaccine supplies will be increased from July onwards.
“We hope to fully utilise our existing and soon-to-be PPVs to make the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (NIP) a success,” Chow added.
Joining Chow at the specialist centre were state Secretary Datuk Abdul Razak Jaafar and state Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Yeoh Soon Hin.
They also visited the PPV at Lam Wah Ee Hospital.
Chow said he was happy with the vaccination operations at Lam Wah Ee Hospital.
“The hospital has stated its capability and willingness to increase its daily capacity from 200 doses to 300 or 400 doses.
“The state Secretary will look into this together with the Covid-19 Immunisation Special Task Force (CITF) committee.
The PPV in Lam Wah Ee is now administering 200 doses per day.
It is operating from 9am to 4pm (Monday to Friday, and public holidays).
In a related development, Chow said several PPVs in Penang could still improve their efficiency.
“I have visited many PPVs in the state. There is still room for improvement.
“We can obtain a better output when we increase our efficiency,” he said.
Chow also strongly urged those eligible to register and get vaccinated.
“We have to improve our registration rate,” he said.
Story by Kevin Vimal and Christopher Tan
Pix by Adleena Rahayu Ahmad Radzi and Muhamad Amir Irsyad Omar
Video by Darwina Mohd Daud and Alissala Thian