TAWAU – The first group of 76,400 teenagers in Sarawak will receive their Covid-19 vaccine jabs from tomorrow, said Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
He said this group comprised those aged 16 and 17 as well as those aged 12 to 15 suffering from high-risk diseases especially problems with the immune system.
“I have just contacted the Sarawak chief minister and vaccines will be offered to the initial group. Their dosage will be the same as the adults.
“After this initial group, the vaccine will be administered in stages to those aged 14 and 15, followed by those aged 12 to 13,” he told reporters after inspecting the suggested construction site of the temporary field hospital at the old Tawau airport in Jalan Utara here today.
The vaccination is among the policies agreed by the Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee Special Committee (JKJAV) regarding the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency’s (NPRA) approval for the use of the Pfizer vaccine for teenagers.
Khairy said that after Sarawak, the jabs will be administered to teenagers in states that have reached the benchmark of 80% vaccinated adults, such as Labuan, Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.
Meanwhile, he said the ministry is considering an international foundation’s offer to build a temporary field hospital with 108 beds and two operating theatres at the site of the old Tawau airport in Jalan Utara to cater to Covid-19 cases.
“This temporary field hospital shall be built within a short period to cater to the needs of Tawau Hospital’s Covid-19 cases while awaiting the completion of the new Tawau Hospital next year,” he said, adding that the new hospital is 60% completed.
Khairy, who was accompanied by Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah on his official visit to Tawau, had earlier visited Sri Balung Clinic to present the PeKa B40 award for the clinic’s achievement in conducting the highest number of health screenings last year. – Bernama, September 7, 2021
