Perak to receive 79,560 vaccine doses; MB advises people not to fear vaccination

State Health, Environmental Science and Green Technology Committee chairman Mohd Akmal Kamaruddin said in the first phase, a total of 33,503 frontline staff would receive the vaccine shots. Also included would be Menteri Besar Datuk Saarani Mohamad and members of the state executive council.

According to Mohd Akmal, a total of 49 vaccination centres (PPV) have been made available throughout the state for the first phase, including the Indera Mulia Stadium, here, while additional locations for the second and third phases will be identified by the district officer.

"Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah is scheduled to visit the PPV at the Indera Mulia Stadium on Tuesday. The Sultan is concerned about the vaccination programme," Mohd Akmal said in a statement, here, today.

He said public registration for the vaccination exercise will begin next month while the second phase will be between April and August involving those aged 60 and above, and also high-risk groups with chronic diseases.

He said the third phase will be from May 2021 to February 2022 for individuals aged 18 and above, both for citizens and non-citizens, with priority given to the red zone, followed by yellow and green zones.

Meanwhile, Saarani advised the people of Perak, including the Orang Asli community, not to be afraid of the COVID-19 vaccine shots or be easily incited by certain parties to reject it, as it is for the good of all.

He said thorough preparations for the COVID-19 vaccine procedure were made by the state governments in accordance with the World Health Organisation.

"I appeal to all the people of Perak to accept this vaccine. Even when we were in school, we received vaccines but what was the effect? We are safe from various diseases," he told reporters today after presenting certificates of appreciation to the teaching staff at the Program Pecutan Akhir-Kelas SPM 2020 Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Kota Tampan, Lenggong.

Meanwhile, in Kedah, State Health Department director Dr Mohd Fikri Ujang said 25,000 health and non-health frontline staff would be recipients for the first phase of the immunisation programme.

Dr Mohd Fikri said non-health frontliners involved members and officers of the Royal Malaysia Police, Malaysian Armed Forces, Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department, Malaysian Civil Defence Force and People's Volunteer Corps.

"Those who will be injecting the vaccine or referred to as 'vaccinators' have also been identified consisting of 768 trained health workers. They have been given online and practical training at their respective responsibility centres.

"Several simulations have also been done at health clinics and hospitals for the implementation of the COVID-19 vaccine," he said in a statement, here, today.

He added that the vaccine would be stored at three storage centres in Kota Setar, Kuala Muda and Langkawi which would be distributed to 46 PPVs in each district and hospital.