Vaccination of hotel sector only done after completion of first phase, acquisition of additional doses

KUANTAN: The Pahang State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) has explained that the vaccination of workers from the hospitality industry was done based on several factors, including the cluster involving Genting Highlands as well as the increased number of vaccine doses obtained by the state.

The SDMC, in a media statement today, said among the factors taken into consideration was that the Jalan Genting cluster lasted for two months and involved 563 people as well as the need to use the hotel as a quarantine venue.

“The vaccination of 3,036 people from the hospitality sector, which included housekeepers, cleaners and maintenance workers, involved six districts in Pahang and not just employees from the Genting Group.

“It was also part of efforts to spur the economic and support sectors in the state, namely tourism and transportation,” the statement added.

The SDMC, which is chaired by Pahang state Secretary Datuk Seri Dr Sallehuddin Ishak, stressed that the initiative was only carried out after the 32,156 frontliners from the health and vital services sectors, who had been targeted as recipients of the first vaccine dose by the Federal government, had received their vaccine jabs.

It said that Pahang then received 5,310 additional doses under the first phase, which was targeted at frontliners apart from the Ministry of Health (MOH), including those from comorbidity group and teachers, with 3,820 teachers having received the vaccines under two different phases.

The SDMC announced that 5,600 additional Sinovac vaccines were then received for recipients from the transport sector, local authorities (PBT), clinic support services (PSK) and hospital support services (PSH).

According to it, the National COVID-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) had ruled that the Sinovac vaccine was not suitable to be given to those from the comorbidity group.

Efforts to get recipients for the Sinovac vaccine began early in March, with 540 people from the PSH category receiving vaccination appointments, besides those from the PSK (104 people), transport sector (1,726), PBT (102) and hospitality (3,036).

“The total distribution originally planned (for the hospitality sector) was only 1,575 doses, but it was increased to 3,036 people following a poor response from eligible recipients from the transport sector,” the statement said.

The SDMC also stressed that the state CITF, which is subject to the Federal CITF, was committed to ensuring the success of the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme as well making sure the relevant groups receive their vaccine jabs as planned.

Yesterday, National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme Coordinating Minister Khairy Jamaluddin denied allegations, which went viral, that the inoculation of a number of Genting Group workers was conducted on his orders.

Khairy said Federal CITF was made aware of the state CITF decision only after the latter had started the vaccination process for the group.

-- BERNAMA