KANGAR: Perlis state government has urged its people to continue to adhere to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) to curb the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak even if Perlis is allowed to move to Phase Three of the Movement Control under the National Recovery Plan (PPN), said Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azlan Man.

Azlan also said Perlis was ready to move to Phase Three as it had met the three threshold indicators set by the government despite the recent rise in COVID-19 cases in the state.

"It is obligatory to obey and follow the SOPs. The business sector is given permission (to operate). The important thing is, comply with the SOPs, while we wait for the decision from the federal government (to move to Phase Three)," he told reporters here today.

He said states that have transitioned to the next phase would not go back to the previous phase and continue to fulfil the threshold indicators of the next phase.

The government had outlined threshold indicators that needed to be achieved before states can move to Phase Three of PPN namely the two-dose vaccination among the adult population should reach 40 per cent, bed usage in the intensive care units should be at a safe level and the daily COVID-19 cases should be below 2,000.

Perlis is one of the states that have moved to Phase Two of the PPN apart from Perak, Pahang, Kelantan, Terengganu, Penang, Sabah and Sarawak.

In the meantime, Azlan said following the rise in positive COVID-19 cases in the state, he would hold discussions with the state Health Department to identify the best solutions to curb the spread of the virus.

Earlier, Azlan who is the state assemblyman for Bintong attended the COVID-19 vaccination initiative for about 500 Bintong residents under the community vaccine mobilisation (MOVAK) programme at the Nurul Iman Mosque, Kampung Nesam near here.

-- BERNAMA