MELAKA – The Health Ministry needs 12 million low dead-volume syringes to vaccinate 20% of the country’s population, or six million people, under the first phase of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme beginning end of this month.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba said the special syringes are necessary as the vaccine needs to be administered in specific dosages to ensure its effectiveness.
“The need for this syringe is very important to avoid wastage,” he told reporters at a Covid-19 screening at a Serkam poultry factory here. Also present was Melaka Health and Anti-Drug Committee chairman Datuk Rahmad Mariman.
Under the first phase of the vaccination programme, he said, each individual will be given two shots, with the second shot to be given 21 days after the first one to ensure effectiveness of the vaccine.
In another development, Dr Adham said the 12ha poultry factory in Serkam would be temporarily closed to make it easier for the authorities to control the Serkam Industry cluster, which was detected on February 1.
He said 1,871 workers at the factory, comprising 1,428 foreign workers and 443 local workers, are being screened for Covid-19.
“Since the cluster was detected, 604 individuals have been reported positive for Covid-19 as of yesterday, with some undergoing treatment at the Covid-19 Quarantine and Treatment Centre at the Malaysian Agro Exposition Park in Serdang and some under quarantine at the workers’ hostel.
“We expect more workers here to test positive for Covid-19, and preventative and control measures are being intensified,” he added. – Bernama, February 6, 2021
