KUALA LUMPUR – The Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) will consider the redistribution of vaccine supplies in areas or states that have a surge in coronavirus cases, said Khairy Jamaluddin (Rembau-BN).
The science, technology and innovation minister said this measure is to ensure the spread of the virus can be curbed.
“In certain circumstances, if the pandemic control phase is activated in an area, CITF will have to make changes to the amount of vaccines scheduled to be distributed.
“This is to ensure pandemic control via vaccination could be done in those areas as soon as possible,” he said in a briefing session on the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme in Dewan Rakyat today.
Khairy, who is also the programme’s coordinating minister, had earlier gave his assurance to states lagging in their vaccination rate that the inoculation exercise will be ramped up next month.
“There are states that have requested for the programme to be expedited in their respective states. By August, states that are behind (in terms of vaccination rate) will be able to catch up with those ahead.”
He said CITF is striving to balance the distribution of vaccine supplies to all states and federal territories based on a few factors.
“CITF takes into account the amount of vaccines delivered by the suppliers, population in each state and national threshold value of each state to enable them to transition from one phase to another (in the National Recovery Plan, or NRP) over a period of time.
“It will not be a big difference in each state.”
Previously, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had announced the four-phase NRP, which involves transitions in the movement control orders imposed to contain the pandemic.
NRP is based on data and three key thresholds – the community spread of Covid-19 based on daily cases, intensive care unit bed capacity and percentage of the population that has been fully vaccinated.
During the special sitting on Monday, Muhyiddin said most states will transition to Phase 4 as early as October. – The Vibes, July 28, 2021
