PENANG will request for more Covid-19 vaccines for August and the following months to speed up its vaccination efforts.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said currently the state has received a total of 703,448 doses of Covid-19 vaccines for the month of July.
“And we are expected to receive about the same amount of vaccines next month.
“But, we will request for more as we are looking forward to increase the number of Covid-19 vaccine doses given daily after surpassing the 30,000 jab capacity in the past two days.
“If we can increase our vaccine supply, then we can fully maximise our capacity at the Covid-19 vaccination centres (PPVs) in the state.
“And thus, I am confident that we can achieve our two objectives within the next two months.
“The first objective is that everyone who is eligible for the vaccination programme under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (NIP) should at least receive the first dose of the vaccine by early September this year.
“Secondly, 40% of the state’s adult population should receive two doses of vaccines by the end of next month.
“These are the two main objectives which Penang aims to achieve in the upcoming months and we believe we can do it with more vaccine supply,” said Chow during an online meeting with Penang Manufacturing Industry Advisory Council at his office in Komtar today.
The Penang Manufacturing Industry Advisory Council consists of InvestPenang, Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers Penang (FMM Penang), Small and Medium Enterprises Association (Samenta), Free Industrial Zone Penang Companies Association (Frepenca) and the Association of Malaysian Medical Industries (AMMI).
Among those present during the online meeting were state Entrepreneurial Development, Trade and Industry Committee chairman Datuk Abdul Halim Hussain, FMM Penang chairman Datuk Jimmy Ong, FMM Penang adviser Datuk Seri Dr Ooi Eng Hock, Frepenca president David Lacey, Samenta secretary-general Yeoh Seng Hooi, Samenta national president Well Kam Lian Hooi, AMMI chairman Andy Lee, InvestPenang chief executive officer Datuk Loo Lee Lian and the Chief Minister’s special adviser Datuk Seri Lee Kah Choon.
Among other issues highlighted during the two hours meeting were the mass Covid-19 screening programme, fiberisation plans in the state, employments, land scarcity and investment strategy.
According to Chow, the state government as of now, did not have any plan to buy the vaccines from the Federal Government.
“Instead, Penang has decided that we are going along with the NIP, so we will not procure our own vaccines.
“During the Covid-19 special meeting also, we have been told by the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme coordinating minister Khairy Jamaluddin that Federal Government has ordered more than enough vaccine supply for the whole population in the country.
“Thus, there is no need for us to purchase the vaccines as of now.
“And we hope the Federal Government will provide us with more vaccines to speed up our vaccination efforts in the state,” he added.
Meanwhile, Dr Ooi urged the factories that have finished vaccinating all of their employees to continue to carry out the Covid-19 screening regularly for their workers to curb the spread of Covid-19.
“This is crucial as we want to minimise any Covid-19 clusters that could probably emerge from the factories,” he said.
Story by Riadz Akmal
Pix by Law Suun Ting
Video by Chan Kok Kuan