KOTA KINABALU: There has been no report of the presence of any anti-coronavirus vaccine, or anti-vaxxer, movement in Sabah so far, said state Covid-19 spokesperson Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun.
Masidi said the people of Sabah, in general, welcome the government's effort to combat the Covid-19 pandemic through the vaccination programme, which would be done on a voluntary basis.
"Although vaccination will not be forced upon the people, the government nevertheless encourages people to get vaccinated," he said in a press conference today.
He was responding to questions on whether there have been any reports of an anti-vaxxer movement in Sabah and whether the state government had received any objections to the inoculation programme.
Masidi said in order to coordinate the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme at the state level, the Sabah government has established a Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF), coordinated by the state Covid-19 Disaster Management Committee.
"The CITF teams at the district level have also been activated and coordinated by the district disaster management committee as well as the district health offices.
"This task force was established to ensure that the maximum number of Sabahans receive the Covid-19 vaccine in accordance with the schedules fixed for Phase 1, 2, and 3," he said.
The Phase 1 vaccination involves identified frontliners; Phase 2 involves targeted groups such as senior citizens aged 65 and above, the disabled, and individuals with chronic illnesses; while Phase 3 involves members of the public aged above 18 and without any comorbidity.
On whether the state government categorises media practitioners as frontliners which need to be inoculated, Masidi said media personnel were not listed as main frontliner personnel in Phase 1.
"Those receiving vaccinations for Phase 1 will be health personnel, essential services frontliner staff and defence personnel. However, this list will be updated from time to time by the Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Special Committee," he said.
He also noted that as of Feb 19, there have been 1,420 positive Covid-19 cases in total involving health personnel, adding that 16,289 health workers have undergone quarantine since the pandemic hit Sabah in March last year.
Today, Sabah recorded 101 new infections and a new cluster in Lahad Datu, dubbed the Singgahmata cluster.
The new cluster registered one new infection today, bringing the cumulative cases to 11. The index case was detected via symptomatic screening at the Lahad Datu Hospital on Feb 13.
Based on close contact screening, 10 others were found positive. Contact tracing and investigation on the cause of infection are ongoing. - NST
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