KUCHING, Sept 20 — The Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) today announced the formation of a working committee tasked with coming up with a publicity plan to create public awareness on Covid-19 during the state’s endemic phase.
SDMC chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah said members of the committee, to be headed by the Sarawak Public Communication Unit (Ukas) of the Chief Minister’s Office, were appointed by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has been around since March 2020. We feel that we have reached the stage where a more intensive and more aggressive health education programme must be carried out systematically so that people will have a better understanding of the situation that we are in now,” he told reporters after chairing the meeting here.
He said the plan will also chart out how people should adapt to life in the “new norm”.
“Free vaccinations are being carried out now, so we should know how to live in the post-vaccination era,” he said.
He said it is crucial that the messages are not only communicated to everyone on the ground, but also empower them to take care of their health.
“If a person is healthy, his family will also be healthy and the community will also be healthy,” he added.
“But people must know what their role is. This is where the public awareness committee will come in with a plan and it will carry out the publicity blitz state-wide,” he said, adding that disseminating information on health education is important to enable more people to understand how to curb the spread of Covid-19.
Uggah said the publicity blitz will also involve media in the state, adding that pamphlets will be widely used and distributed.
He said the state government has put in a lot of resources and energy to safeguard people from Covid-19.
“If you look at the vaccination rates, ours is the fastest in the country,” he added.
“Now, we are giving vaccinations to adolescents,” he said, adding that the war against Covid-19 should not be left to the government alone.
He added it is a war in which everyone must play their part.
Members of the committee include representatives from Ukas, Bernama, RTM, the Sarawak Information Department and TV Sarawak.
