Working towards herd immunity

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THE Penang government is making the necessary preparations and will be mobilising its resources so that the state can achieve herd immunity by the end of October.

 

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the state would do its level best to achieve its objective.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow

“We are committed to ensure that we achieve herd immunity by the end of October this year.

 

“National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme coordinating minister Khairy Jamaluddin has given his assurance that the vaccine supply to all the states, including Penang, would be increased rapidly in July and August this year.

“The vaccine supply is important in our effort to curb the spread of the infection.

 

“We hope to set up additional two vaccination centres (PPVs) in each districts to speed up the process.

“The state is also encouraging private clinics to volunteer to be vaccination centres.

 

“We want to increase the capacity of the PPVs so that more people can be vaccinated,” he told reporters at the vaccination centre in Dewan Millenium, Kepala Batas today.

 

Chow also visited the vaccination centre at SP Arena earlier.

 

He was accompanied by State Secretary Datuk Abdul Razak Jaafar, Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) mayor Datuk Rozali Mohamud and North Seberang Perai OCPD Asst Comm Noorzainy Mohd Noor.

 

The Dewan Millenium PPV head Dr Yusnita Yusof said over 20,000 people had been inoculated at the Dewan Millenium PPV since April 19.

“Most of them were senior citizens above 60-years-old. Some were with comorbidities.

 

“We also have increased the PPV capacity from 800 to 1,400 people per day.

 

“Hopefully, by the end of July, we can increase the capacity to 2,000 people per day,” she told Chow.

 

Chow urged those who have not registered for the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme to sign up for vaccination.

 

Pertaining to a suggestion to turn Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) into a drive-thru vaccination centre, Chow said the matter would be discussed in the upcoming state Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) meeting on Tuesday.

 

Story by Riadz Akmal
Pix by Muhamad Amir Irsyad Omar
Video by Noor Siti Nabilah Noorazis