Phase 4 of Immunisation Programme activated to contain workplace clusters

PUTRAJAYA: The National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme's Phase 4, involving critical economic sectors, has been activated today in an effort to contain workplace clusters, said its Coordinating Minister, Khairy Jamaluddin.

He said that Phase 4 was the pandemic control phase, to commence at industrial areas that were allowed to operate during the movement control order period, which has been extended to June 28.

"This pandemic control phase involves critical economic sectors which are the backbone of the country's economic development, and it needs to be implemented as soon as possible so that workplace clusters can be contained," he said, referring to COVID-19 data released yesterday (June 13) where 11 out of 15 new clusters recorded were workplace clusters.

Khairy said the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) would coordinate the industry vaccination centre (PPV) for the vaccination process for the manufacturing sector.

"After that, more industry PPVs will be opened to other sectors such as construction, plantation, retail and hospitality, in stages," he said in a joint press conference on the development of the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme today, with Health Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba.

KHAIRY-CLUSTER 2 (LAST) PUTRAJAYA

According to Khairy, a total of 30,000 doses of vaccine were provided to the industry this month (June), excluding Sarawak.

MITI, on Saturday, said that Program Imunisasi Industri COVID-19 Kerjasama Awam-Swasta (PIKAS) for the manufacturing sector will be launched under Phase 4 of the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme. It also said that it will be implemented with on-site vaccination at designated factories and industrial locations.

Meanwhile, Khairy said that the overall vaccination rate in the country under the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme recorded more than 100,000 doses administered daily.

The average doses administered last week, from June 7 to 13, were 130,842 doses daily, and this was an increase from the average of 94,481 doses daily in the previous week, he said.

Meanwhile, Khairy said that the Special Committee on COVID-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee (JKJAV) will distribute 30,000 doses of vaccine in Labuan due to the number of COVID-19 cases, which is quite critical on the island.

On June 7, the media reported that the number of active COVID-19 cases in Labuan had increased 63-fold since the beginning of last month.

-- BERNAMA