A third of seniors still waiting for Covid-19 vaccines, appointments in 2 weeks

 

As the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (NIP) goes into the third phase, about a third of senior citizens registered in Phase 2 are still waiting for their vaccines.

Up to June 20, 937,078 senior citizens have yet to receive their first dose of the life-saving vaccine, minister in charge of NIP Khairy Jamaluddin said.

Khairy said of the 2,678,219 people aged more than 60 registered, 1,742,141 (65 percent) have received their first dose.

“The remainder will receive their appointments in the next one or two weeks,” he said at a weekly media briefing today. 

Phase 2 of the NIP also includes the disabled and those with comorbidities. Malaysiakini has requested the latest data on vaccination rates for these groups.

On June 16, 10,229 or four percent of the 240,991 disabled people registered have been vaccinated, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Rina Harun said. 

The data on senior citizens vaccinated was revealed amid public outcry that younger recipients were already receiving appointments in the Klang Valley, where Phase 3 commenced on Monday.

Many on social media questioned why younger and lower risk recipients were getting their vaccines, while their elderly and higher risk loved ones are still waiting despite registering in February.

The bulk of Covid-19 deaths in the country consist of those aged above 60 and those with comorbidities such as diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, liver disease and obesity.

The government said Klang Valley is the first to move into Phase 3 because 99 percent of registered senior citizens in the Klang Valley and 88 percent in Selangor were already vaccinated. The number of recipients in this category for Selangor and Klang Valley was not revealed.

Yesterday, Selangor Task Force for Covid-19 chairperson Dzulkefly Ahmad said just about 17 percent of all who registered in Selangor have been vaccinated.

Phase 4, which involves workers in key industries like manufacturing, oil and gas and retail, is also running concurrently with Phases 2 and 3.

Phase 4 includes the International Trade and Industry Ministry’s (Miti) Public-Private Partnership Covid-19 Industry Immunisation Programme (Pikas), where participating employers can hasten vaccination for their workers.

Under Pikas, employers must foot any logistical and administrative costs, while the doses are given free of charge from the national supply.

It would cost employers between RM60 and RM90 per employee, depending on whether the workers are vaccinated at existing vaccine centres or on-site, Miti said.

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin

'50-plus are not sidelined'

Meanwhile, Khairy refuted allegations that those in their 50s were sidelined as the new Bukit Jalil mega vaccination centre is prioritising younger recipients.

He said some 228,397 appointments from June 23 to 30 have been issued to those aged 50 to 59 (30 percent), 83,610 for people aged 40 to 49 (11 percent) and 192,021 for those aged 18 to 39 (25 percent).

The bulk of appointments for that week are for senior citizens, making up 33 percent or 253,719 people.

“So the allegation that we are not providing appointments for those in their 50s because we have opened the Bukit Jalil vaccination centre, which has gone viral on social media, is not true,” he said.

Khairy added that the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force has also approved 5,621 applications from students seeking early vaccination to resume their studies abroad.

The science, technology and innovation minister advised other students in the same boat to email permohonan@vaksin.gov.my. 

Close to 100,000 pregnant women, who are at high risk of severe complications and death if infected with Covid-19, were also vaccinated over the weekend in Kuala Lumpur and Perlis, he said.

“More will be vaccinated in Kuala Lumpur and Perlis this weekend, while those in other states will be processed in stages, according to their estimated due dates,” Khairy added.

Up to June 22, 6,301,727 have received at least one dose.

A total of 14 percent of the population had received one dose while 5.4 percent received both doses. The goal is to vaccinate 80 percent of the population.

Last week, an average of 180,329 doses were dispensed daily, up from 130,842 the week before.

Khairy said Malaysia aims to dispense an average of 300,000 doses a day “in the near future”.  - Mkini