KUALA LUMPUR: As the nation’s capital, it is only fitting for Kuala Lumpur, along with the Federal Territories of Putrajaya and Labuan, to lead the way in achieving herd immunity.
Federal Territories Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa said he aimed for KL, Putrajaya and Labuan, as centres of government administration, commerce and economics, to collectively achieve herd immunity by August through accelerated inoculation efforts and community outreach measures.
Annuar said speedier vaccination efforts will enable the Federal Territories to be ahead of the National Recovery Plan’s (NRP) target of vaccinating 60 per cent of the population by early October to attain herd immunity by year end.
“Labuan will be the first FT to immunise the majority of its people by July. The Covid-19 Task Force has sent 30,000 vaccine doses so the current 1,000 shots can be increased to 3,000 a day.
“Putrajaya folks are expected to be fully vaccinated by the end of July.
“KL is a centre of economy, therefore, it is crucial that it achieves herd immunity fast so that all commercial activities can re-start.
“As there is a large population of KL folk, the aim is to have the majority of them fully vaccinated by August.
“For the Federal Territories, the target is achievable because we have the resources and capacity.
“We want to get the infectivity rate in KL to down to 0.8. All these are being done to ensure the success of the NRP,” said Annuar in a special interview at the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) on Wednesday.
As of June 21, Annuar said 100 per cent of the population in KL and Putrajaya have registered to receive their Covid-19 vaccination.
Annuar said the number of people vaccinated in KL, Putrajaya and Labuan has increased with 35,789 doses daily from 7,000.
In Putrajaya, 1,800 doses a day are now being given compared with 1,000 previously.
In Labuan, it has increased from 700 to 3,000 doses.
Annuar said Vaccination Centres (PPVs) in KL and Putrajaya would enable 50,000 doses to be given daily by July.
“The mobile vaccine vehicles under the MyMedic@Wilayah mobile vaccination programme enable inoculation exercises to be conducted at DBKL’s People’s Housing Projects and Public Housing areas, traditional villages, industries, wholesale markets as well as among the homeless in KL.
“MyMedic@Wilayah started out as a pilot project on June 7 with 13 mobile trucks but is now a full fledged project. We will continue to complement the Covid-19 National Immunisation Programme to cater to those without MySejahtera appointments, including those in the construction and transport sectors.
“This is our effort to reach out to the people wherever they are. Each truck has the capacity of 600 doses daily and up to June 22, 38,856 first doses have been given out.
“With all these PPVs expediting the vaccination process, we are optimistic of hitting the target,” he said, adding that there were six PPVs in Labuan.
Annuar said the plan was to increase the number of trucks to 40 and to dispense 33,000 vaccine doses a day in KL, Putrajaya and Labuan.
He added that 252 homeless people have been vaccinated, of which 119 have been fully inoculated. They received their doses at the Anjung Kelana Transformation Centre on May 27 and June 17.
Getting some 6,000 food delivery riders vaccinated along with over 7,000 petty food traders in KL is also in the pipeline, said Annuar.
Once approved, Annuar said they would start inoculating food delivery riders from June 27 and by July, traders licensed under DBKL’s Wilayah Bebas Berniaga.
Annuar urged all sectors, including hotel, retail and shopping malls, to get their workforce vaccinated.
“The sooner people get inoculated and we reach herd immunity, more sectors can be opened.
“We need everyone to be vaccinated to overcome the pandemic together.”
Source: News Straits Times
