SARAWAK will deliberate tomorrow on its preparation to transit into Phase 2 of the National Covid-19 Recovery Plan (NRP), Deputy Chief Minister Douglas Uggah said today.

A key question to be discussed in the meeting is if the large state should transition according to the situation of the state’s different zones, Uggah, who chairs the disaster committee, said.

He said the situation in all the state’s 44 districts will be assessed in detail.

He added that the state would use the NRP’s established three-threshold value indicators in moving from Phase 1 to Phase 2 and the subsequent phases.

On June 17, the National Security Council (MKN) announced the four phases of the NRP with Phase 1 the imposition of the full movement-control order (MCO) restrictions and where only essential services and industries are allowed to operate.

The requirements to meet to move to Phase 2 are that the average daily new Covid-19 cases must be under 4,000, a moderate stress on the healthcare system and ICU capacity, and with 10% of the state’s population vaccinated with second dose.

Being in Phase 2 means more economic sectors are allowed to operate at 80% maximum capacity though social sectors will remain closed.

“If our daily figures on positive cases continue to demonstrate a downward trend, like in the past few days, we should be moving into Phase 2 soon,” Uggah said.

He said the downward trend was due to the success of the MCO and possible the ramped up vaccination drive.

“But we cannot really be sure as we have yet to complete vaccinating our targeted 2.2 million people,” he said. – July 7, 2021.