16,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine arrive in Penang

GEORGE TOWN – A total of 16,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine arrived safely in Penang at around 5.35pm today to mark the inoculation phase in the war against Covid-19 here.

The first batch arrived at Penang International Airport on a Cathay Pacific CX 079 cargo aircraft. 

Its arrival was welcomed by Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, Deputy Health Minister Datuk Dr Azmi Ghazali, state police chief Datuk Sahabudin Abd Manan, and several other state government leaders.

Chow said that the coming of the vaccine was eagerly awaited by all of Penang’s people, and he expressed his hope that more than 85% of the state’s population would receive it in stages.

“This programme has brought hope of recovery. It is my hope that it will run smoothly and successfully,” he said at a brief press conference at PIA later.

Chow said he would be the first individual in Penang to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

“As the state leader, I will be the first individual to receive this vaccine. I hope it will be an example for all the people of Penang to also receive this vaccine injection, in our efforts to fight the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.

It is understood that the vaccines, which will be brought in stages, will benefit 1.3 million Penang residents.

Currently, all the vaccines will be taken to two ultra-low temperature storage centres at Penang Hospital and Seberang Jaya Hospital.

The stock was taken from the full first batch of 312,390 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine that had arrived at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport earlier today. The vaccine had left Puurs in Belgium and was in transit at the Leipzig Halle Airport in Germany, before continuing on its journey to Singapore for distribution to Asian-Pacific countries, including Malaysia.

Penang and Johor were among the first states to receive the first supply after that, with Johor understood to have received the supply through Senai International Airport at 2pm this afternoon.

The first batch is meant to be administered to frontliners working tirelessly against the virus. – The Vibes, February 21, 2021