PUTRAJAYA FEB.4:- The government will start to implement the National COVID-19 Immunization Programme (NCIP) at the end of February 2021 when it receives its first COVID-19 vaccine supply that have proven 95% effectiveness from Pfizer and BioNTech companies.
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said, the first phase of the programme will involve 500,000 front liners including health and non-health workers and is scheduled to end in April.
Muhyiddin said, the second phase will involve the high risk groups including senior citizens aged 60 and above and suffering from morbidity such as heart ailment, obesities, diabetes and high blood pressure. This phase starts from April until August 2021 and will also include the handicapped group.
“The third phase that starts in May 2021 until February 2022 will affect the adult group aged 18 and above and this is an important phase to protect the group or herd immunity and hence could control the pandemic as a whole,” said Muhyiddin in a special deliberation that was live telecasted on TV1 here today.
The Prime Minister added, the government’s target is to have 80 percent of the population or 26.5 million individuals receive free COVID-19 vaccination.
Muhyidin said, to enable the programme runs smoothly, 600 centres for storing the vaccines and for vaccination processes will be opened throughout the country.
According to Muhyiddin, several public and health facilities, stadiums, convention centres, community halls and universities will be used as vaccination centres.
“The government welcomes the participation of volunteers, university students, community leaders, religious groups, non-governmental organizations (NGO), Red Cresent Society, St. John’s Ambulance, private sectors and all Malaysians to join the COVID-19 immunization programme,” said Muhyiddin.
Muhyiddin also mentioned that the Federal Government will work together with the state governments to enable integrated actions could be implemented. To achieve this objective, the Menteri Besar and Chief Ministers will be present at the National Security Council (NSC) on COVID-19 Management Special Meeting three times a week.
On another development, Muhyiddin said, to increase the enforcement power of the government in combating COVID-19, he has issued directives under the Emergency Ordinance (essential power) 2021 to hand down the power of the police to the Malaysian Armed Forced (MAF) when assisting the agencies in detaining, checking and seizing illegal immigrants properties when implementing the prevention of COVID-19 transmissions.
“I have also instructed 3,000 People’s Volunteer Corps (RELA) to assist the standard operating procedure (SOP) enforcements in the business premises and public places.
The government has also implemented the Community Empowerment Programme involving the local community leaders in combating against COVID-19 pandemic,” Muhyiddin reiterated.
The Pagoh Member of Parliament also stressed that a special task force for monitoring and enforcing compliance with the SOP of the Movement Control Order (MCO) has been set up comprising of various ministries and agencies.
He said, the latest data shows 59% COVID-19 transmissions occur in the workplace, 19% in detention centres and 14% at home. On this point the government is in the process of amending the Act to solve the issue of the placement and living premises of the workers via more stringent enforcements.
The government has also taken over the PLKN and Wawasan Camps to be turned to temporary prisons, detention and quarantine centres. This is also in view of the surge of 5,000 COVID-19 daily cases and is a worrying development.
The government has also allocated RM27 million for the cooperation of 31 private hospitals for the out sourcing treatment for part of COVID-19 patients. The private hospitals are also placed under the Cluster Hospital and public sector under the COVID-19 Integrated Control Centre. -Malaysia World News
