Perak moves towards direct Covid-19 vaccine purchase in effort to speed up inoculation process

IPOH: The Perak State Development Corporation has been told to procure Sinovac Covid-19 vaccines from Pharmaniaga Bhd to be deployed in the state.

Mentri Besar Datuk Saarani Mohamad (pic) said the corporation would do so via its subsidiary Majuperak Holdings Bhd.

"We welcome the decision by the Federal Government to allow Pharmaniaga to supply seven million doses of the vaccine to private companies, government-linked companies and state governments.

"We will look at the demands first (before buying the vaccine), as it involves money," he told an online press conference on Friday (June 4).

"Any individuals or companies wanting to buy the vaccine for their staff can do so through the corporation," he said, adding that the price can be negotiated.

"We believe there will be a lot of requests, especially from those who do not want to wait," he added.

Saarani said it was one of five initiatives by the state to speed up the vaccination process to achieve herd immunity.

The other initiatives included having vaccination drive-throughs near the Indera Mulia Stadium here and the Sultan Azlan Shah Roundabout in Meru Raya; targeted testing at hotspots; and outreach programmes for those in rural areas and with mobility issues.