KUCHING, Dec 3 ― Deputy Premier of Sarawak Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian has encouraged eligible Sarawakians to go for the second booster dose of the Covid-19 vaccination.
He has highlighted this in view of the increasing number of Covid-19 positive cases in Sarawak over the past four weeks.
“What needs to be done now is for you to go and get your booster dose if you’re eligible because after six months, your antibody (level) drops.
“Getting a second booster dose is the most minimum that you can do,” he told reporters after declaring open the new academic block of SJK Chung Hua Batu 35 in Serian yesterday.
Dr Sim, also the state’s Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government, said Sarawak was doing so well with the first and second dose, to an extent that some people were fighting to get the vaccine.
The same also went for the first booster dose, he observed, where about 80 per cent of the 1.6 million eligible Sarawakians had received it.
“But we did so poorly with the second booster dose, where only five per cent, or about 50,000, of 1.6 eligible Sarawakians have received their second booster dose.
“It’s very sad. Now, we can see the increase in Covid-19 cases in Sarawak throughout the last four months,” he said, adding that the second thing that Sarawakians should do upon finding themselves positive after having self-test would be to go to any public or private clinic to get the oral antiviral treatment.
In this regard, he said the oral treatment Paxlovid, costing over RM1,000, would only be effective in the first three days.
“Don’t wait until Day 3, when you have already gotten worse, and say the RM1000 is useless because you have to use it in the first three days.
“If tested positive for Covid-19, go to the clinic for assessment because not everybody is suitable for the antiviral treatment. Still, we encourage people to access it because it reduces the severity.
“If the severity is reduced, the chances of getting long-term Covid-19 would be much less,” he said.
Under such circumstances, Dr Sim highlighted the importance of prevention. ― Borneo Post
