KUALA LUMPUR – The success of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme in Negri Sembilan is an example of what the Klang Valley can expect to see in the coming weeks, said Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin today.
Khairy said the high vaccination rate in Negri Sembilan has led to significant improvement, after the state saw its daily Covid-19 tally surpass 1,000 only last month.
Yesterday, the state only logged 270 daily infections.
Khairy also said beds and intensive care unit occupancy, as well as the usage of ventilators, have all dropped to below 70%, while patients admitted to hospitals have reduced from 899 to 319 in the last month, a dip of about 65%.
“I see the success in Negri Sembilan as a sign of what is to come in the Klang Valley soon, as Kuala Lumpur and Selangor have a similar vaccination rate,” he told reporters after visiting the Tampin Hospital in Negri Sembilan.
Khairy said the Klang Valley is showing slower improvements in the aforementioned indicators – beds, ICU and ventilator occupancies – due to its higher population density, but added these can be expected in the coming weeks.
As of yesterday, 95% of the adult population in the Klang Valley have been fully vaccinated, while Negri Sembilan is at 81.8%.
His remark echoes Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah’s statement to The Vibes on August 26 that the Covid-19 situation in Klang Valley hospitals and quarantine centres is set to improve drastically by the end of this month.
Noor Hisham had said this follows the surge in vaccination rates here, with Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Putrajaya having achieved herd immunity among the adult population.
Khairy said despite the success in Negri Sembilan, the government will not rush to reopen more economic and social sectors without first conducting proper risk assessments, with the reopening of the country to be done cautiously.
Asked on the possibility of category 3 Covid-19 patients being admitted to hospitals and quarantine centres, in view of the high number of brought-in-dead (BID), Khairy said at the moment, priority will be given only to those with comorbidities.
He added that exceptions will be given to some specific cases, including pregnant women and elderlies.
However, for asymptomatic category 3 patients, or those showing just mild symptoms undergoing home quarantine, Khairy said it is vital that they continuously update their condition on the MySejahtera app.
“Our effort to reduce the BID rate will succeed if those undergoing quarantine at home can conduct self-control and assessment, so we are able to monitor their health status.
“This includes conditions such as difficulty breathing, chest pain, or lack of oxygen. In such situations, do contact an ambulance immediately and get admitted to hospitals or quarantine centres.”
Meanwhile, Johor health exco Vidyananthan Ramanadhan today announced the state’s expansion of its walk-in vaccination exercise, as it targets a 100% first dosage jab rate for its adult population by the middle of this month.
At present, he said in a statement, 82% of its adult population have received their first dose, while 51.5% have been fully vaccinated.
In the state’s mop-up efforts, Vidyananthan said, 21 vaccination centres across eight districts will accept walk-ins on various dates, with priority given to Malaysians, particularly those living in rural areas.
Kemaskini 4 September bagi maklumat daerah dan tarikh untuk pemberian vaksin secara walk-in di negeri Johor.
— Vaksin COVID-19 ?? (@JKJAVMY) September 4, 2021
Orang ramai diminta merujuk kepada Jabatan Kesihatan Negeri masing-masing untuk maklumat terkini dari semasa ke semasa. pic.twitter.com/SE2siVsC1j
“The public need not worry if vaccine supplies for a certain day have been used up. A new appointment will be given and you will be prioritised,” he said, urging those who have yet to register for vaccination via MySejahtera to do so immediately. – The Vibes, September 4, 2021
