SERIAN: Sarawak is now entering the third phase of its COVID-19 immunisation programme.
Those aged 18 years old and above who are eligible can now go for vaccine jabs, said Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.
He told the media this on Tuesday after visiting the vaccination centre at Serian community hall here.
Under the programme, Sarawak’s first phase of vaccination was for the frontliners while the second was for the high risk groups, namely those with comorbidities and senior citizens aged 60 years old and above.
“From today, everyone can now go for the jabs based on their appointments,” said Uggah.
In the rural or interior areas, Sarawak had not been using the phase system as such an arrangement would be besieged by problems.
“The response from Sarawakians toward the vaccination programme has been very encouraging so far. This is a very positive development in our efforts to protect everyone against COVID-19. To-date, we have managed to vaccinate a total of 855,749 people. Yesterday alone, some 59,225 people had been vaccinated. Of the number, 56,975 received their first dose,” he added.
For the Serian Division, 2,600 people had been vaccinated while its target was 2,800 daily.
Uggah said the vaccination centre at the Serian community hall vaccinated 1,000 people on Tuesday which had met its target.
Meanwhile he reminded workers in industries statewide that their vaccines were provided free of any charge.
“We have come across advertisements from some companies saying that workers needed to pay a certain amount for the vaccination. I would like to clarify here that the vaccines are provided free by the government. At all vaccination centres for industry, the employers are footing the costs for setting up such centres and the service fees for the teams administering the vaccination,” he said.
” Such centres are necessary because we have come across many positive cases at working places. With them, we can speed up our vaccination programme for the workers.”
Uggah said more industry vaccination centres would be set up soon and they would be open to plantation workers too.
SDMC advisor Datuk Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian, Serian Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Richard Riot, Bukit Semuja Assemblyman John Ilus and Deputy State Secretary Datu Ik Pahon were among those present.
Earlier Uggah was briefed on the Serian community hall immunisation programme by its doctor-in-charge, Dr Edmund Shim.
