KUCHING: Many state leaders and frontliners have received their first doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine.
Today (Feb 27), some of the leaders were vaccinated at the State Indoor Stadium in Petra Jaya here.
Minister of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said, “Thank God (everything went smoothly). It felt like other vaccinations that I have undergone before.”
Fatimah said she only felt the prick of the needle, and had no signs of an allergic reaction after 15 minutes of observation.
“So far, no giddiness, nausea, headache, body pain, or itchiness. Everything went well and I will receive my second dose on March 20,” she said.
Among the other state leaders that got vaccinated were Assistant Minister of Local Government and Housing Datuk Dr Penguang Manggil; Assistant Minister of Infrastructure and Ports Development Datuk Julaihi Narawi; and Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department (Law, State-Federal Relations, and Project Monitoring) Datuk Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali.
In Bau, Tasik Biru assemblyman Datuk Henry Harry Jinep and Serembu assemblyman Miro Simuh were vaccinated.
In Sibu, Assistant Minister of Education, Science and Technological Research Dr Annuar Rapaee; Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Bawang Assan branch chairman Robert Lau; and Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) chairman Clarence Ting were vaccinated at Lanang Health Clinic.
“After the vaccination, those who have been fighting the pandemic will no longer have to worry about getting infected while on duty,” said Dr Annuar in a Facebook post.
In total, 455 employees of the Ministry of Health (MoH) in the district were vaccinated last Friday in the first phase of the immunisation programme.
DR Teh (left) after his vaccination. 
Two MoH staff who have been vaccinated. 
A health personnel after his vaccination.
Sibu District Health Officer Dr Teh Jo Hun stated that 352 were staff members of Sibu district while 59 and 44 were from Kanowit and Selangau districts. Other staff members in Sarikei, Mukah, Kapit, and Song districts also started their inoculations today.
State Health director Dr Chin Zin Hing on Thursday said the first phase of the vaccination programme would for frontline workers, while the second phase would include senior citizens aged 60 and above and Malaysians suffering from chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes.
About 13,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine arrived on Thursday to be given to about 6,000 frontliners in the central region.
Of the 6,000 frontline personnel, 3,576 are in the Sibu division, while the rest are in the Sarikei, Mukah and Kapit divisions.
Veteran journalist Desmond Davidson from the Malaysia Insight getting his Covid-19 vaccination at Serian Community hall. Photo: Ramidi Subari 
Veteran journalist Sulok Tawi from the Malay Mail getting his Covid-19 vaccination at Serian Community hall. Photo: Ramidi Subari 
Veteran journalist Alice Wee from the Dayak Daily getting her Covid-19 vaccination at Serian Community hall. Photo: Ramidi Subari
Serian district police chief Aswandy Anis gets vaccinated at Serian Community hall. Photo: Ramidi Subari 
Serian Resident Officer Tuah Suni getting his Covid-19 vaccination at Serian Community hall. Photo: Ramidi Subari
