SERIAN: Sarawak is now into the third phase of its Covid-19 immunisation programme.
Everyone from 18 years of age is now eligible and can now go for the jab, Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said on Monday after visiting the vaccination centre at Serian Community hall here.
“From today onwards, there will be more no phase. Everyone can now go for the jab based on their appointments,” Uggah said today.
Sarawak’s first phase of vaccination was for the frontliners while the second was for the high-risk group, namely those with comorbidities and senior citizen aged 60 years old and above.
For the rural or interior areas, Sarawak had not been using the phase system as such the arrangement would be besieged by problems.
“This is a very positive development in our efforts to protect everyone against Covid-19. The response from Sarawakians toward the vaccination programme has been very encouraging so far.
“To date, we have managed to vaccinate a total of 855,749 people. On Monday alone, some 59,225 people had been vaccinated. Of the number, 56,975 received their first dose,” he said.
Uggah said for the Serian Division, 2,600 people had been vaccinated while its target was 2,800 daily.
He said the vaccination centre at the Serian community hall vaccinated 1,000 people on Monday which had met its target.
Meanwhile, Uggah reminded workers in industries statewide that their vaccines were provided free of charge.
“We have come across advertisements from some companies saying the workers needed to pay a certain amount for the vaccination.
“I would like to clarify here that the vaccine is provided free by the government.
“For all industrial workers, the employers will be footing the costs for setting up such centre and the service fee for the teams administering the vaccination.
Uggah said more industry vaccination centres would be set up soon and they would be opened to plantation workers too.
“Such centres are necessary because we have come across many positive cases in the working places.
“With such arrangements, we can speed up our vaccination programme for the workers.”
SDMC advisor Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian, Serian MP Datuk Seri Richard Riot, Bukit Semuja assemblyman John Ilus and deputy State Secretary Datuk Ik Pahon were among those present during the visit to the Serian Community Hall vaccination centre.
Earlier, Uggah was briefed on the Serian Community hall immunisation programme by its doctor in charge, Dr Edmund Shin.
