KUCHING, March 18 — Sarawak’s Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah tonight said the state will follow the federal government’s decision to enter the transition to endemicity from April 1.

The transition to endemicity is an exit strategy that will allow people to try and resume a normal life after two years of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Uggah said this means that foreigners may enter Sarawak with less stringent health requirements.

"The Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) is currently planning logistics and strategies to enable our borders to open up,” he said at a dinner held in conjunction with the National Conference on Dayak Women here.

He added that tight standard operating procedures (SOPs) will be loosened, adding that the SDMC will announce the new SOPs to the public in due course.

"However, it does not mean that Covid-19 is no longer a threat. It will still be very much around us. It is very important to always stay vigilant,” said Uggah, who is also SDMC chairman.

He also advised the people to get a booster dose immediately if they have not done so.

He said there is ample proof the booster dose helps to ward off Covid-19, adding that there are 208,486 Sarawakians who are eligible but had yet to receive the dose.

"To them, I would like to say this: do not dilly-dally and do not dice with death, especially the elderly with comorbidities,” he said.