THE government will not revise its criteria for the various phases of the National Recovery Plan, Ismail Sabri Yaakob said, even as Terengganu, which is in Phase 2, recorded the highest infection rate yesterday.

“We will maintain the existing the main criteria,” said the deputy prime minister in Shah Alam today.

These are the number of daily infections recorded, the ICU capacity of the particular state, and the rate of vaccination. 

“We will maintain this although it is subject to change because the pandemic is dynamic,” he told reporters at an event at Pharmaniaga Bhd today.

Ismail Sabri was responding to a question on whether the government will include the infection rate in its criteria for determining whether a state should move into the next phase of relaxed restrictions under the recovery plan.

Terengganu, which is in Phase 2, yesterday recorded the highest infection rate in the country at 1.31, while densely populated Selangor is 1.12. The national average, according to the Ministry of Health is, 1.12 as of July 20.

“Selangor is in Phase 1 is because new infections and ICU usage are very high.

“If the infection numbers in Selangor continue to be high, its usage of ICU beds will also be high,” said Ismail Sabri.

He said that although the vaccination rate in Selangor has picked up significantly, its usage of ICU beds still warrant the state being placed in Phase 1.

Ismail Sabri and Health Minister Dr Adham Baba were at Pharmaniaga Bhd to witness the handover of 12.4 million doses of the Sinovac vaccine, thus completing the government’s initial order. 

Pharmaniaga is the local fill-and-finish manufacturer for the Sinovac vaccine. – July 21, 2021.