Penang CM hoping for boost in Covid vaccine supply, eyes 40pc vaccination rate for state
GEORGE TOWN, Aug 3 ― Penang hopes the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) will continue to boost vaccine supplies to the state this month.
Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yew said the state government and the state Health Department has yet to receive any information on the amount of vaccines that will be arriving in the second week of August and the weeks after that.
“The vaccine supply to Penang was only increased in July and we hope the supply will not be reduced this month,” he said in a statement today.
He said he hopes the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry will keep the state informed on the amount of incoming Covid-19 supplies to Penang this month.
Chow said Penang is one of top six states in its vaccination rates for first and second doses, with a total 786,878 people having received their first dose and another 313,195 receiving their second dose, bringing the total number of people who have been vaccinated to 1,100,073.
“Based on the Penang population, this means 44.4 per cent have received their first dose, which is higher than the national percentage of 44.3 per cent while 17.7 per cent have received their second dose,” he said.
When compared to the number of adult population in Penang, a total 57.6 per cent of adults in Penang have received their first dose while 22.9 per cent have received their second dose.
Chow said the vaccination rate for the second dose in Penang will increase next week, especially for those who will be receiving their second AstraZeneca jabs.
He added that several vaccination centres (PPV) under the public private industry immunisation programme (Pikas) will also be administering second jabs next week onwards.
“This will allow us to achieve a 40 per cent vaccination rate and transition to Phase Three of the National Recovery Plan,” he said.
He stressed that the state is committed to achieving 100 per cent of first dose vaccination rate for the adult population by early September.
Meanwhile, he said CITF has approved a proposal to open another PPV at Vangohh Eminent Hotel and Spa to speed up vaccination rate at Central Seberang Perai.
“With a capacity of 2,000 doses per day, the PPV will start operations on August 9 so there will be four PPVs in the district including the existing ones at SP Arena, Seberang Jaya Expo Site and One Hope Charity in Juru,” he said.
The four PPVs will be able to administer 4,800 jabs daily.
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