Over 500 Kuala Perlis residents benefit from special vaccination programme today

KUALA PERLIS: More than 500 Kuala Perlis residents took advantage of a special COVID-19 vaccination programme which included "walk-ins" at Hotel Brasmana here today.

The programme was held due to public concern over the slight increase in COVID-19 cases in Kuala Perlis.

Perlis state secretary Azman Mohd Yusof said this special programme provided an opportunity for individuals who had not yet received an appointment through the MySejahtera application to get their COVID-19 vaccine injections.

"The vaccination rate for the adult population (in the state), aged 18 and above, has reached 49.25 per cent for those who have completed both doses and 67.72 per cent for the first dose. This is a good sign for Perlis," he told reporters at Hotel Brasmana today.

He said the five-day special programme, which began today, would benefit more than 2,000 Kuala Perlis residents.

VACCINE-KUALA PERLIS 2 (LAST) KUALA PERLIS

A Bernama check found that people started arriving at 8 am for the walk-in vaccination.

One of them, 48-year-old housewife Quek SIu Li said she had registered a few months ago through MySejahtera but had not received an appointment yet.

"I then found out about this special vaccination programme through a neighbour. We just needed to show our utility bills (as proof of being residents) to get vaccinated. So I came here, and thankfully, received my vaccine jab," said the mother of two.

Quek said vaccination could protect people from severe illness should they contract the virus.

Another senior citizen, Hawa Sudin, 58, said she was grateful to the government for giving priority to people like her to receive the vaccine.

"I am elderly ... so I really want to get vaccinated. This protection is good for all of us. I am an old lady who wants to register for the vaccine but do not know how to use a sophisticated handphone," she added.

-- BERNAMA