Penang 138,000 vaccine doses away from hitting 40% fully inoculated target

BUKIT MERTAJAM – Penang will have to administer 138,000 Covid-19 vaccine doses in the next seven to 10 days if it wants to see 40% of its population fully inoculated.

The island, which is under Phase 2 of the National Recovery Plan (NRP), currently has 30% of its residents fully immunised, with this group allowed to dine in at eateries and undertake inter-district and interstate travel.

“Today, over 30% of our adult population have received their second dose of the Covid-19 jab,” said Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow in a statement.

“For us to achieve 40% of our adult population fully jabbed, we need to administer at least 138,000 doses in the next seven to 10 days.

“This is important. It is one of the three threshold indicators for the state to move to Phase 3 of NRP, where more economic sectors, especially tourism, can reopen.

 “The two other indicators that need to be taken into account are the total number of cases in Categories 3, 4 and 5, and 100% of the adult population receiving their first dose.”

Chow earlier visited the vaccination centre (PPV) at Vangohh Eminent Hotel and Spa, accompanied by Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim.

The chief minister said once the three thresholds are met, Penang can consider lobbying the National Security Council to relax movement curbs further.

“If we open up the various sectors without considering all these factors, it will put us all at great risk, even for those who have completed the vaccination regimen.”

The Vangohh Eminent Hotel and Spa PPV, which began operating yesterday, caters to residents of central Seberang Prai. It is able to administer 1,000 doses daily, with the figure increased to 2,000 after three weeks.

The state is expected to receive a total of 917,220 vaccine doses this month to see to it that 40% of its 1.7 million people are fully vaccinated under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme.

“Earlier, I requested 1.2 million doses from Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin. Following that, I was informed that we will be supplied with 917,220 doses instead,” said Chow.

Given this, he said, 100% of adults in Penang will have received their first dose by next month, and 40% both doses by end-August. – The Vibes, August 10, 2021