TUARAN, Aug 1 — Almost 40 per cent of Sabah’s residents have received the first dose of vaccine since the state-level National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme began in March.
Sabah Health director, Dr Rose Nani Mudin said around 18 to 19 per cent of the state’s residents had been recorded as having received both doses of vaccine through the immunisation programme so far.
“We need to work harder from now on (to achieve the targeted herd immunity). We will use various methods and mobilise our state and district COVID-19 Immunisation Special Task Force,” she told reporters after viewing the operation of the vaccine administering centre (PPV) at Dewan Sulaman, here, today.
Up to July 31, 1.2 million of the 2.7 million adult population in Sabah had received the vaccine jabs, with 819,705 of them getting the first dose and the other 392,252, completing the vaccination with the second dose.
Meanwhile, Dr Rose Nani said the State Health Department was optimistic that Sabah could achieve the targeted 80 per cent herd immunity before the year-end following the positive development of increasing number of vaccine recipients daily.
Therefore, she said, the number of vaccine recipients in Sabah would be increased to 45,000 per day in view of the current daily doses having exceeded the targeted 30,000.
“However, this will depend on the vaccine supply and manpower available,” she said, adding that the vaccine supply so far had been as scheduled.
To achieve the vaccination target, Dr Rose Nani said the COVID-19 Community Vaccination Outreach Programme would continue to be boosted to increase the registration of vaccine recipients, especially in Sabah’s rural and interior areas that had no Internet coverage.
Until Saturday, 1.16 million or 42.2 per cent of Sabah’s residents had registered as vaccine recipients via the various platforms provided.
“Registration of information on the vaccine recipients including the walk-in ones is required for monitoring of their health condition including if there are side effects after the vaccination,” said Dr Rose Nani.
