KUCHING: Sarawak has no plans to vaccinate kids under the age of 18.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said the focus now was only on vaccinating those aged 18 and above.
“For those under 18 years, we are waiting for a decision from the Ministry of Health.
“Currently, there is no decision and we will not vaccinate those under 18,” he told a press conference during his visit to Bra’ang Bayur Health Clinic Vaccination Centre here today.
Elaborating further, Uggah, who is also the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman, said today alone, Sarawak administered a total of 82,068 vaccine doses to eligible recipients throughout the state, thus recording the highest number of injections in Malaysia so far.
“A total of 2,022,432 doses of vaccine injections had been given to eligible recipients throughout Sarawak; 67 percent were first-dose recipients while 27 percent were second-dose recipients.
“So far, we have conducted the vaccination process well and hopefully, we will be able to reach the target of having 80 percent of our people vaccinated by the end of August,” he stressed.
On the vaccination programme in the Padawan district, Uggah said so far, 4,982 residents had received their first dose of vaccine while 1,245 people had received the second dose.
The vaccination programmes in Padawan were carried out at the Bra’ang Bayur Health Clinic, Bunuk Health Clinic, Padawan Health Clinic as well as at a private clinic.
Also present were Assistant Transport Minister and Mambong assemblyman, Datuk Dr Jerip Susil, Deputy State Secretary, Datuk Ik Pahon Joyik, Kuching Health officer, Dr Eunice Melissa Joseph and Bra’ang Bayur Health Clinic officer-in-charge, Dr Arvin Thiagarajah.
