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KUALA LUMPUR – Perak, which is among the five states set to transition to Phase 2 of the National Recovery Plan (NRP) tomorrow, expects to reach Phase 3 even faster through increased vaccination rates and capacity.
Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Saarani Mohamad said the state is expected to record an inoculation rate of between 25,000 and 30,000 daily once it receives 688,000 doses of vaccines this month, with the first 147,000 doses set to arrive next week.
“It is possible to reach that rate as Perak currently has 101 vaccination centres, comprising 31 in public and government hospitals as well as 70 in private clinics and hospitals,” he told reporters at the Kg Chadak Orang Asli Village vaccination programme in Tambun, Ipoh, today.
He said the state also plans to raise the involvement of more private hospitals and clinics under its Covid-19 inoculation drive.
Yesterday, Perak reported 101 new cases, with 95 of them being local transmissions and six infections from outside Perak. The rate of bed occupancy in intensive care units (ICUs) in hospitals in the state is at only 27%.
Senior Minister (Security) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob yesterday announced that Kelantan, Pahang, Terengganu, Perlis and Perak would transition to Phase 2 under the NRP from tomorrow after all five states achieved the threshold value indicators.
The three indicators for transition into Phase 2 are that the national daily average of Covid-19 cases must drop below 4,000, the bed occupancy rate in ICUs should be at a moderate level, and at least 10% of the population should be fully vaccinated.
For Phase 3, the indicators that need to be achieved are the average daily cases dropping to below 2,000, the public healthcare system capacity is at a satisfactory level, with the ICU bed occupancy rate dropping to an adequate level, and 40% of the country’s population to have received their second doses of the vaccines.
Meanwhile, Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob reminded the people in the state that the transition to Phase 2 is not a ticket for them to be completely “free”.
He said the public must continue to support the government’s efforts, including by complying with stipulated directives and standard operating procedures throughout the period.
He also said he hopes more community outreach vaccination programmes are implemented during that period to increase the vaccination rate. – Bernama, July 4, 2021
