MELAKA – The government is currently focusing on completing the vaccination process for industries allowed to operate during the movement control order (MCO) period.
Covid-19 National Immunisation Programme (PICK) Coordinating Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the government will only look into other sectors, such as tourism, once this is completed.
“We will first focus on industries that are operating during the MCO. (Currently), many factories have to operate. Only after that will we look at the other sectors.
“Perhaps, when we get to Phase 2 or 3 (of the National Recovery Plan), I will have talks with Chief Minister (Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali) and shift our focus to the tourism sector, such as hospitality, hotels, trishaw riders and so on,” he said.
He was said this after attending a state-level Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) meeting chaired by Sulaiman.
Khairy, who is also science, technology and innovation minister, said he expects the immunisation programme to be completed in Melaka by November, bolstered by additional vaccination centres (PPV) being opened and the delivery of more vaccine doses next month.
He said among the PPVs to be opened here next month are Yayasan Toh Puan Zarina, a drive-through PPV at the Melaka International Airport, three private hospitals and 36 health clinics, all of which will increase vaccination capacity to 13,000 doses a day compared with the average of 7,000 doses a day currently.
“I have informed the chief minister that, so far, we have only delivered a total of about 200,000 doses of the vaccine since last February to Melaka, but for July alone, we will send 368,000 doses.
“We are trying to accommodate requests from the chief minister, who is very concerned about the reopening of Melaka's economic sector as the state is heavily dependent on tourism, retail and other sectors,” he said. – Bernama, June 29, 2021
