SANDAKAN, March 5 — A total of 1,050 health and non-health frontliners in Sandakan began receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine shots in the first phase of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme, at the Duchess of Kent Hospital, here, starting today.

According to Sandakan district health officer Dr Johari Awang Besar, today’s number involved 90 health workers while another 480 health workers will receive their jabs tomorrow (Saturday).

"Meanwhile, 480 non-health frontliners are scheduled to receive the vaccine shots on Sunday (March 7),” he said when met by reporters here today.

Dr Johari, who received the vaccine today, said the Sandakan district health office targeted more than 80 per cent of Sandakan residents to be vaccinated, and he appealed to the public to immediately register for the Covid-19 immunisation through the MySejahtera application.

"I hope the community is not afraid to get this vaccination shot. It doesn’t hurt and the process (the jab) is quick,” he added. — Bernama