KUCHING: Sarawak’s success in vaccinating over 88.9 percent of its eligible adult population thus far has contributed to the low number of cases in Category 4 (lungs infection and require oxygen) and Category 5 (lungs infection and require ventilator).
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg asserted that vaccination has provided protection to the people which is why the majority of the cases are in Category 1 (no symptoms) and Category 2 (mild symptoms).
He pointed out that the situation would be different if the state had not successfully vaccinated its people.
“We must understand that once the people have been vaccinated, they have the antibodies to fight the coronavirus. While the number of daily cases still remains in four digits, the majority has mild or no symptoms,” he said yesterday (Sept 8).
Abang Johari noted that similar situations had occurred in previous epidemics and pandemics like cholera, Spanish flu and Swine flu.
He said the present pandemic was transitioning to the endemic stage; thus, vaccination was critical in order to avoid severe consequences of the disease.
“According to medical experts, the pandemic will eventually become endemic whereby we have to live with the virus, but with health endurance.
“I can recall how vaccination was given for cholera before treatments such as antibiotic pills were invented.
“We never know; perhaps in the future there might be pills for this coronavirus,” he said.
