KUCHING, Feb 24 — The race to vaccinate 2.2 million people in Sarawak has finally started with a Raya Airways Boeing 767-200 flight TH543 transporting the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine touching down at Kuching International Airport’s cargo area at about 6.18pm this evening.

The flight departed from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, Subang at 4.48pm.

The flight was piloted by Captain Ezil Azlan Ahmad Muniran, assisted by First Officer Shaun Izsamil Abd Hadi.

State Health director Dr Chin Zin Hing had reportedly said that 2.2 million people would be receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, consisting of about 2 million Sarawakians and 200,000 non-citizens, covering approximately 80 per cent of the state’s population to achieve herd immunity.

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Personnel seen unloading the vaccine from the plane on the tarmac. — Picture by Chimon Upon via Borneo Post Online
Personnel seen unloading the vaccine from the plane on the tarmac. — Picture by Chimon Upon via Borneo Post Online

Touted as the state’s biggest ever operation, the vaccination programme will be launched this Friday with Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg being the first to be administered with the vaccine.

The first phase of the vaccination programme will start from the end of this month to April, covering 97,000 frontliners, while the second and third phase would be from the end of March to August this year, inoculating 929,000 people in high-risk groups and 992,000 people who are above 18-years-old, respectively.

Dr Sim (second left) and Uggah (right) overseeing the arrival of the vaccines at the airport’s cargo hangar. — Picture by Chimon Upon via Borneo Post Online
Dr Sim (second left) and Uggah (right) overseeing the arrival of the vaccines at the airport’s cargo hangar. — Picture by Chimon Upon via Borneo Post Online

Among those witnessing the vaccine’s arrival at the cargo area were Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas and Minister of Local Government and Housing Datuk Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian.— Borneo Post Online

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