GEORGE TOWN – Penang has roped in more than 200 clinics and 50 dental surgeons for its Covid-19 vaccination drive, as the state looks to create herd immunity among its 1.7 million residents in the shortest time possible.
State Local Government, Housing, Town and Country Planning Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo said Penang has made preparations after reviewing the outcome of virus screening for foreign workers.
“We have close to 300 members capable of administering the vaccine – more than 200 clinics and 50 dental association members,” he said, adding that the Health Ministry has agreed to the state’s plan.
“We have 140,000 foreign workers in Penang, and since December 2019, we have been screening them. However, we have completed screening only half of them because we lack the capacity.
“In Penang, 80% (estimated herd immunity threshold) of our population amounts to 1.3 million people. How are we going to get them vaccinated, and do we have the capacity?”
With these questions in mind, he said, the state has taken the proactive step of engaging private clinics, and is conducting the vaccination programme for free.
He urged Putrajaya to identify groups considered frontliners, and who among them will receive the vaccine in the first phase.
“From what I understand, it consists of uniformed bodies. We have 5,000 Penang Island City Council personnel on the ground and around 1,000 in the police force. We have our mayor, and also reporters.”
Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow will bring up the matter during a meeting with Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin tomorrow, he said.
Jagdeep expressed hope that the ministry will be transparent on the five types of vaccines to be administered to the public.
“As a people’s representative, I get asked about the vaccines, but I am no expert. The people would like to know if there are any side effects, and the vaccines’ effectiveness. We also want to see the bigger picture, and know what to expect in the next few days.”
Although Malaysia’s vaccination efforts are a little behind those of other countries, he thanked the federal government for making the immunisation drive a reality.
Neighbouring Singapore has vaccinated one million of its population. – The Vibes, February 18, 2021
