BUKIT MERTAJAM – “We cannot put our heads in the sand and wait for a disaster to happen,” were the exact words of state Agrotechnology, Food Safety, Rural Development and Health Committee chairman Dr Norlela Ariffin on news that Penang dropped to the bottom four in booster shot administration.
Despite media reports and social media awareness encouraging Penang residents aged 40 and above to register for walk-ins to get their booster vaccines, 40% remains a no-show.
“We have to face the facts and let Penangites, our Health Minister and ProtectHealth chief executive officer know that we need to make it easier for eligible people to take their booster doses.
“We cannot just rely on appointments via MySejahtera because 40% of those people don’t show up for their appointments.
“There is an influx of tourists in Penang, and we will not know the outcome of Covid-19 cases stemming from the Melaka state election until ten days later.
“I don’t want what happened in August and September in Penang to repeat,” she told the media via a WhatsApp message today.
On Sunday, she announced that Penang will open registrations to those aged 40 and above, and with comorbidities for the walk-in waiting list to get their booster dose. She appealed to those who are eligible to get jabbed, so that children who cannot be vaccinated yet will be protected from the infection.
Despite Covid-19 numbers floating at between 200 and 300 cases, Norlela said that Penang has the highest number of Delta variant cases. There are more than 200 cases identified as Delta as of today.
During the months when Penang was hit badly by Covid-19, there was a case where 18 orphans living in a home were infected because two of their caretakers were anti-vaxxers. There were 27 people in the orphanage, the youngest was only five months old. The Health Ministry sent four vehicles to take them to the hospital. One of the caretakers recorded very low oxygen levels and was at the advanced stage of Covid-19.
“I appeal to everyone; we do not want to have more orphans in Penang. Caretakers, please go get your vaccines and your booster doses.
“Even if you are fully vaccinated, you still have to be careful and follow the SOPs closely because children can still be infected. You can still pass the virus to other people,” she said in her speech at the handover of cheques ceremony for the Covid-19 Student Relief Fund Project by The Lions Club Bayan Baru at Kalyx, Icon City.
She expressed her gratitude to Lions Club Bayan Baru for collecting a total of RM111,000, which will be distributed to 111 children from needy families. Cash contributions of RM1,000 each are given to 111 students, out of which, 48 have lost one of their parents due to Covid-19.
According to the campaign’s organising chairman, Jayne Khor Jing Y’ng, the idea started when one of her friends from the Malaysia Association of Hong Kong approached her expressing eagerness to help Malaysia cope with and fight Covid-19.
Together with her team, they contacted 23 secondary schools and managed to identify 80 students. Norlela also worked with the team to identify additional students from 31 families who needed funds.
“The pandemic has revealed deep inequalities, in which the most vulnerable among us are paying the highest price. We can just look at it and do nothing or we can lend a hand.
“There is a way, NGOs can offer support and seek it at the same time. With the support from kind donors, we can expand our reach.
“The success of charitable donations will depend on them being a part of the continued support. This approach should not be just temporary. The line between supporters and the supported is blurred. All of us need help sometimes, and all of us will need to do our best to provide help to others,” Khor said during her speech.
The Malaysia Association of Hong Kong donated RM48,000 and the Bayan Baru Lions Club responded by getting more donations.
The Lions Club has been reaching out to help the needy throughout the pandemic. The association raised RM120,000 and purchased 1,400 boxes to be distributed to the needy.
It also raised RM300,000 to purchase 200 laptop computers to be donated to 200 students in various middle schools in Penang for them to participate in online courses.
Today, 111 students from 21 schools in the state have benefited from the donations. The association hopes that efforts will continue to provide aid to the less fortunate. – The Vibes, November 23, 2021
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