LABUAN – The Federal Territory of Labuan has completed 100% vaccination against Covid-19 among its adult population yesterday, according to Labuan Disaster Management Committee chairman Rithuan Ismail.
He said all of the island’s adult population has received two doses of the coronavirus vaccine.
“Furthermore, the adult population among immigrants on the island has also been vaccinated, thus recording 100.5% of immunised adults,” he said.
Rithuan, who is also Labuan Covid-19 Immunisation Taskforce (CITF) chairman, said the task force has listed 68,500 adults as eligible for the immunisation programme in the Federal Territory.
“The number of eligible adults being given the vaccine has surpassed the target due to the Labuan CITF policy of inoculating people regardless of their nationality. We also offered the vaccine to the workers (from outside of Labuan) in the Labuan oil and gas, and shipping sectors,” he said.
Rithuan said thousands of Filipino refugees in two Refugee Community Settlement Schemes have also been vaccinated as part of the committee’s efforts to mitigate the spread of the Covid-19 in the local community.
“We can see that the number of adults completing the vaccination will increase steadily, as the number of people who received the first dose reached 102.94% as of yesterday.
“The more people who are vaccinated, the better, as we will be able to contain the coronavirus spread. Our policy is to encourage shipping crew and those in the oil and gas sectors to get the shot. The number of people completing the vaccine will certainly surpass our target,” he said.
Rithuan said Labuan CITF is also prepared to conduct the vaccination exercise for adolescents aged 16 and 17.
Labuan had vaccinated 80% of its adult population on July 27 and became the first among the Federal Territories and states in the country to achieve herd immunity against Covid-19.
The Labuan-level National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme was launched on February 27. – Bernama, September 8, 2021
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