GEORGE TOWN – Penang’s inoculation programme is on schedule, where 97.5% of frontliners have received their first dose under phase one as of March 24.
Phase two is estimated to start on April 1 for senior citizens aged above 60 and above as well as for high-risk groups, involving a total of 460,000 people.
The administration of vaccines for phase two and three will be done at each district. Two halls have been identified to provide large-scale immunisations involving the relevant areas.
For phase one, 21 Vaccination Centres (PPV) had been set up to provide immunisations to frontline members, of which 19 involved Health Ministry (MoH) facilities and another two involving private hospitals.
According to state health exco Dr Hajah Norlela Ariffin, Penang has received an additional 9,000 vaccines on top of the original 31,005 vaccines to be administered to local authorities, teachers and pharmacists.
The total vaccines for Phase 1 is has been increased to 40,000, of which 2,000 vaccines are set aside for teachers in the state.
Vaccines for Penang recipients arrive every Wednesday.
Other than the Covid-19 clusters involving the industrial zones, clusters involving schools have been alarming the community.
However, Norlela assured that there are currently no clusters involving schools. The only active clusters right now involve the industrial zone and the remand prison in Juru.
“Cases that stem from schools are under control. For example, if there are 17 cases in a school, the health department will identify and isolate them,” she said.
This month, the MoH had identified two clusters: the Bukit Tambun Cluster on March 21 with 16 cases; and the Jalan Teluk Air Tawar Cluster, which is a school cluster involving a college.
As of March 20, 335 individuals from the college have been screened and 33 Covid-19 positive cases have been identified. – The Vibes, March 30, 2021
