S’wak pushes second booster jab for rural folk amid surging Covid-19 cases

MIRI – The Health Department in several rural districts in Sarawak has intensified its efforts to administer Covid-19 vaccination booster shots to the rural population to stem a surge in infections.

So far, the campaign is in full swing in the districts of Kapit and Song, as well as the Sg Asap Resettlement Scheme near the Bakun Dam.

According to the state Public Communications Unit, Kapit division Health Department head Dr Karthikey Mahesan said the booster jabs are aimed at frontline civil servants, as well as residents of longhouses and villages.

He said the first batch of recipients were 150 civil servants in the Kapit township.

“We are also sending in Pfizer vaccines to the rural clinics in the Kapit and Song districts using the Rajang Mobile Clinic boat units.

“We are also going to the Sg Asap Clinic to cater to the resettlement longhouses there,” he said.

“We encourage as many as possible to go for their booster jabs. There is no need to make appointments. They can go to the clinic nearest to them and check with the staff for their booster injection.”

Sarawakians who are in vulnerable groups have been urged to go to the nearest hospital or clinic to receive their second Covid-19 booster jab if they have not done so already, as the state has seen an alarming spike in new Covid-19 in recent months.

Last month, Deputy Premier Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian said infections have been consistently rising in the state for the past four months.

“The trend of rising cases again is worrying and there is a need to get the second booster for those eligible and in need.

“So far, only about 50,000 out of the 1.6 million eligible Sarawakians had gone for second booster jabs.

“After six months of vaccination, immunity drops, so there is a need to have second booster vaccination to protect from the infection spreading in the community now,” he had said in his December 13 social media posts.

Dr Sim, who is minister for public health, housing and local government, said the 50,000 who received their second booster jabs make up only about 5% of the eligible Sarawak population. – The Vibes, January 15, 2023