Some turned away as Sandakan folk swarm walk-in centre from 5am

SANDAKAN – Over 500 people showed up at Sandakan’s first walk-in vaccination centre at Yu Yuan Secondary School this morning despite being told that the vaccination is only for certain categories of recipients.

This includes Malaysians aged 40 and above, pregnant mothers, disabled people, and senior citizens.  

Among those who began gathering as early as 5am, some were turned away as only 400 doses were administered in the morning session starting at 9am.

The rest who were unable to get their shots were then seen waiting for queue numbers to be distributed for the afternoon session, which began at 1pm.

The walk-in vaccination programme is open to all Malaysians, with 720 doses distributed daily (400 doses in the morning and 320 in the evening). It is scheduled to be conducted for a week until August 23.

With congestion expected during this programme, the Sandakan District Health Office reminded the public that walk-in vaccinations are only for Malaysians aged 40 and above, pregnant mothers, disabled people, and senior citizens.  

This did not stop people from swarming the vaccination centre since many are yet to receive their vaccines.

Rasmiah Sangka, 42, said that she had been waiting for a number since 7am.   

“People started waiting outside the hall as early as 5am. I reached at 7am and I did not stand a chance to get my number.  

“I did not expect such a turnout. It was not my fault (for getting the vaccination late) because MySejahtera had arranged my vaccination venue in Kota Kinabalu (a six-hour drive away from Sandakan) twice, despite having a Sandakan address. 

“With the instruction that only fully vaccinated people are allowed into supermarkets, hypermarkets, and eateries, I could not wait any longer. So I decided to come to this walk-in vaccination centre,” she said. 

Elopura assemblyman Calvin Chong Ket Kiun arrived at the scene and requested that the people come back the next day to avoid congestion.

“People gathering here is really dangerous. It is risky because this crowd is only growing bigger and they are not going to be able to practice social distancing if they all gather in one spot,” he told The Vibes.

Chong also received feedback from those at the centre that they were desperate for the vaccine because a lot of shops and supermarkets have started imposing the requirement that only the fully vaccinated are allowed to enter their premises.  

As such, Chong reminded all business operators that the standard operating procedures in Sabah allowing only fully vaccinated individuals to enter supermarkets, hypermarkets, and food outlets are only reminders for now.

Sandakan MP Vivian Wong Shir Yee, who was also at the vaccination centre, said that Sabah should emulate the Selangor state government and use the Selangkah application.  

“The app allows the public to set an appointment for vaccination. It is easier and would avoid overcrowding. Recipients can choose the date and location of their vaccination,” she said.  

She also suggested house-to-house vaccination for those unable to get to a vaccination centre, especially senior citizens and rural folk who do not have smart devices.

Sandakan’s vaccination rate has reached almost 30%. It currently has four centres, including a walk-in centre at Yu Yuan Secondary School.  

Sandakan health officer Dr Johari Awang Besar told The Vibes that currently, all four centres and ten private clinics can administer a total of 4,000 vaccine doses per day, excluding those administered through the Outreach Covid-19 Immunisation Programme. – The Vibes, August 16, 2021