Penang ready to move into Phase Two of the NRP by next week.

GEORGE TOWN: Penang is ready to move into Phase Two of the National Recovery Plan (NRP) by next week when 10% of its population receive the second dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, says Chow Kon Yeow (pic).

The Penang Chief Minister said the state should be able to achieve the 10% target by next Wednesday (July 7) or Thursday (July 8).

Chow is also optimistic that Penang will receive 591,523 vaccine doses under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme this month and in August.

“The Federal Government has fixed 10% of the adult population being vaccinated as a threshold to be achieved before each state could move to Phase Two,” said Chow.

He said this at a virtual meeting with the representatives of 11 trade organisations organised by the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers Penang on the ‘Status of the Vaccination in Penang’ on Saturday (July 3).

Chow said Penang’s next objective is to see those aged 60 and above complete the vaccination process as soon as possible before it moves on to target those aged 60 and below this month.

“Penang will be seeing better days ahead as it has been promised more vaccine doses this month. We will see a huge spike in the amount of doses supplied. These two months will be critical,” he added.

Chow also said that it is a case of a balancing between the vaccination centres’ capabilities and also the vaccines that Penang would receive.

On Saturday (July 3), the Federal Government announced that five states - Kelantan, Pahang, Perak, Terengganu and Perlis - will transition to Phase Two of the NRP starting Sunday (July 4).

Transitioning into the next phase would mean that these states will enjoy a slight easing in restrictions in terms of businesses and other related matters.

Each phase will have their own standard operating procedures and lists of activities allowed and prohibited.

According to the NRP announced by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on June 15, the country will reopen in four phases based on three main indicators – the number of daily Covid-19 cases reported, the number of people who are fully vaccinated and the state of the healthcare system, which must not be listed as critical.