SARAWAK could have more than a million of its people vaccinated for Covid-19 with the first dose by July if the state health department tweaks its vaccination policy a little, said state Housing and Local Government Minister Dr Sim Kui Hian. 

Sim, a key adviser to the state disaster management committee, said since the state will receive a substantial increase in the number of doses of various types of vaccines in the next three months, he suggested they should all go to giving those who are still waiting for their first dose. 

The state has targeted 1.2 million of its two million population to be vaccinated to achieve the 70% herd immunity.

Some 200,000 foreign residents are also eligible to be vaccinated. 

In his latest posting on the pandemic in his Facebook account, Sim said 1,142,741 Sarawakians have registered to be vaccinated to date. 

He said 54% of them registered via the MySejahtera app while the rest, mainly residents in the rural areas, registered manually via their resident or district offices. 

Sim also said to date, 82,401 had completed the two-dose course while 133,421 only received the first dose. 

That left over 926,000 yet to be vaccinated. 

“Suggested to the department to change the policy. (Withhold) the second dose (to the 133,421 and) give all (to the) one million… who have been waiting. 

“Everyone (should get) the first dose in June. By July, everyone registered will be able to complete their second dose,” he wrote. 

Meanwhile, some of the private clinics and hospitals that have been designated as private vaccination centres have begun vaccinating people. 

Bukit Assel rep Irene Chang posted in her Facebook that the Rejang Medical Centre in her hometown of Sibu has started its roll out. 

Chang said about 100 registered eligible persons are expected to be vaccinated by the end of today. 

She said the number shall be increased gradually to reach 400 persons per week. 

“We hope to have more private clinics to participate in the vaccination programme as only then we can achieve our 70% target as early as possible.” – May 25, 2021.