PENANG is expected to receive a total of 917,220 doses of Covid-19 vaccines this month.
Chief Minister Chow said adequate supply of vaccine would ensure that 40% of the adult population in Penang are inoculated by end of August under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (NIP).
“Earlier, I had requested 1.2 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine from Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who is the NIP coordinating minister.
“Following that, I was informed that we would be supplied with 917,220 of doses instead.
“So, I hope that this will help us to achieve our target of inoculating 100% of our adult population with the first dose by early September and 40% with their second dose in August,“ Chow said during his visit to Vangohh Eminent Covid-19 vaccination centre today.
Chow said as of yesterday, Penang has achieved 29.8% of adult population being fully vaccinated.
“Today over 30% of adult population will be completing their second dose of Covid-19 jabs.
“For us to achieve the 40% of adult population, we need to administer at least 138,000 of doses within seven to 10 days.
“This is important as it is one of the three threshold indicators for us to move to phase three of the National Recovery Plan (NRP).
“Apart from that, the two other important indicators that need to be taken into account are the total number of cases of Covid-19 patients in categories 3, 4 and 5 as well as 100% of adult population receiving their first dose.
“We need to ensure that these threshold indicators are met before we loosen the movement control order(MCO) for the economic sectors.
“If we open up the sectors without considering all these factors then it will put us all at a great risk even after completing both doses of vaccines,“ added Chow.
The PPV at Vangohh Eminent, which started its operation yesterday, caters to the residents in the central Seberang Perai and currently administers 1,000 doses daily.
After three weeks, the daily injection rate will be increased to 2,000 doses.
Also present were Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim, Machang Bubok assemblyman Lee Khai Loon, Berapit assemblyman Heng Lee Lee and GTM Group chairman Datuk Seri Goh Choon Kim.
Story by Tanushalini Moroter
Pix by Noor Siti Nabilah Noorazis
Video by Darwina Mohd Daud