LANGKAWI – The business community here has welcomed a proposal by Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor for the Langkawi district to adopt a “walk-in” approach for its vaccination drive to hasten economic recovery.
The move could see a return to normalcy for the island’s tourism and leisure industry if a majority of the population achieves herd immunity against the virus, they say.
Langkawi Business Association deputy president Datuk Issac Alexander said that the proposal is a positive step towards reviving tourism here in a big way.
As the island has a small population base, achieving vaccinations for all by allowing people to walk-in for the inoculation is feasible, he told The Vibes.
He said, people, especially the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions, may feel more at ease and willing to be vaccinated if there is no pressure on them to get the jab.
Isaac had previously mooted a concept raised in Thailand to immunise districts that play a crucial role in reactivating the economy first, compared with provinces that are less connected to the economy.
Since tourism is a key provider of growth, Langkawi should be seen as a “front-line” area for immunisation against the virus, he added.
Langkawi has an estimated population of 99,000, with some 60,000 on the main island while the rest live in surrounding islets, such as Tuba, Rebak and Dayang Bunting.
About 85,000 of its residents are aged 18 and above.
Isaac said that the faster the community is vaccinated, the faster recovery can be expected for the tourism industry, on which many islanders depend for their livelihoods.
Last Monday, during a working visit here, Sanusi had said that tourism powers 70% of Langkawi’s economy.
He had announced that the state has agreed to look into the walk-in concept suggested by the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry.
If the state is able to vaccinate 100 to 200 persons in Langkawi daily, the majority of residents will be vaccinated within a few months, he had said.
To date, fewer than 3,000 islanders have been vaccinated since the national campaign to get inoculated against Covid-19 began in February. – The Vibes, April 29, 2021
