Expedite vaccinations before arrival of northeast monsoon to prevent health complications

With Covid-19 cases on the rise in Sabah, there is a need to assess the state’s vaccination drive which is still rather sluggish, as only 27.4% of the population have been vaccinated with the first dose, compared to the national average of around 50%.

Hence, the government’s assurance to give priority to Sabah for the two newly approved Covid-19 vaccines - CanSino and Johnson & Johnson - is a welcome one. With the new vaccines, it would be ideal if 60% of the state’s population can be vaccinated by October.

When October arrives, the northeast monsoon is expected to bring high rainfall to several states such as Johor, Penang, Kedah, Kelantan, etc. Hence, vaccination progress will slow down at that time and prove disastrous, as the people will have to contend with both the weather and the pandemic if they are not vaccinated. Therefore, the government is urged to act immediately and plan for the future.

Besides that, all over Malaysia, the new Delta variant of Covid-19 has been wreaking havoc causing near 20,000 cases daily, while deaths have also surpassed 100 daily since mid-July. These figures are an urgent warning that we are in a race against time, and we cannot afford to falter. Therefore, I urge the government to expedite vaccination progress as a whole, and ensure that the daily vaccination rate stays above 450,000.

Datuk Nicole Wong Siaw Ting

MCA Youth National Chairperson