SHAH ALAM, Aug 19 — Selangor is expected to make a transition to Phase Two of the National Recovery Plan (PPN) in September, said Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari.
Amirudin said the projection was based on the latest rate of vaccination in Selangor with the National Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) and MySejahtera which showed the number of recipients with the first dose of vaccine reaching 98 per cent.
He said the rise in the rate was due to Selangor residents getting their vaccination at vaccination centres (PPV) outside of Selangor for example the AstraZeneca vaccine at Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre (WTC).
“After updating through MySejahtera, the total number of first dose recipients is 98 per cent and the 80 per cent rate announced yesterday was only based vaccination centres in Selangor.
“We are exceeded 98 per cent in dispensing the first dose and therefore Selangor is able to move to PPN Phase Two at any time.
“We have also found admission to hospitals for critical cases have dropped significantly especially the reports of the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital, Klang and Sungai Buloh Hospital for first, second and third categories of Covid-19 involving those aged 40 to 60 years and those in the comorbidity group,” he said in a virtual media conference here today.
For the second dose of vaccine, Amiruddin said the figure is being finalised with CITF but based on the data from PPV in Selangor, it has surpassed 56 per cent and by the end of this month, Selangor is expected to reach 60 per cent of adult residents with two-dose vaccination.
“If we could speed up further, it would help attain a complete herd immunity,” he said.
Amirudin also said the third vaccine jab could be carried out by early or middle of next year.
“I have held online discussions with Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah several days and we see the probability of the third vaccine shot being implemented next year and not this year as we are still waiting for the signal from the World Health Organisation,” he said.
He said there were several considerations on the matter including the price of vaccine which is still high in other countries in the world and it also depended on the decision of the National Security Council. — Bernama
