ROUGHLY 90% of the 500,175 people selected for the first phase of the Covid-19 vaccination drive have been inoculated with the first dose, said Minister of Science, Technology & Innovation Khairy Jamaluddin.

Speaking at his weekly press conference on the vaccination programme, Khairy said 580,765 doses have been administered as of yesterday, with 451,655 people receiving their first dose and a further 129,110 have been fully immunised – following a second jab – against the coronavirus.

On March 10, the government increased the number of front-liners eligible for the vaccine in the first phase from 500,175 to 647,398.

Khairy, who is the co-ordinating minister for the national Covid-19 immunisation programme, said the government was aiming to inoculate all 647,398 people with the first dose, within the next two weeks.

Meanwhile, he said the prime minister’s proposal to set a deadline for registrations for vaccination is still being considered.

“At this juncture, the proposal is being considered. If we find that the proposal could positively impact the registrations, we will then make an announcement,” Khairy said.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin last week said a June deadline for vaccine registration could be set.

But it has been criticised for being unfair to the poor, rural dwellers and those who don’t have smartphones or Internet access, as online registrations are encouraged.

As of March 28, 530,158 vaccination appointments have been given out. The number of registrations meanwhile, stand at 7.23 million. – March 29, 2021.