Adham: Only one vaccinated healthcare worker contracted serious Covid-19

 

Only one healthcare worker who contracted Covid-19 after being vaccinated reached Stage 4 of the disease, where the patient requires oxygen supply, whereas the others were only Stage 1 or 2, which means they were asymptomatic or only had mild symptoms, Health Minister Dr Adham Baba said.

This shows that the vaccination is effective in helping prevent serious Covid-19 cases among healthcare workers, he said.

“We have healthcare workers who we monitor. From the cases of healthcare workers who got infected with Covid-19 after vaccination, only one crossed into Stage 4.

“The others were all Stage 1 or 2. This shows that the vaccine is effective in protecting those who get infected by Covid-19 so that it will not be serious.

“This data shows the efficacy of vaccination among the healthcare workers who we have been surveilling,” Adham said.

He was speaking at a joint press conference with Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin held in Putrajaya today that was simultaneously broadcast online.

Adham also revealed that so far, 24 clusters have shown a positivity rate of more than 80 percent.

For example, the Alam Jaya 2 cluster, originating from a factory in Selangor saw 141 individuals tested, with 119 turning out to be positive for Covid-19, he said.

Khairy: Many new workplace clusters

Khairy said there are many new workplace clusters, which is partly why the government came up with the Public-Private Partnership Industrial Covid-19 Immunisation programme (Pikas).

Under Pikas, which Khairy stressed was a voluntary programme, the government provides the vaccines for free but the operational costs have to be borne by the companies involved.

“Because of my engagement with industry players, they’ve come forward to say they want to help the government accelerate and also shoulder some of the costs. So we are not forcing them,” he said.

The operational costs charged to the companies are also kept at a minimum, he said, so that the companies are not burdened.

“The vaccines are free but (the companies) have come forward to say they are willing, able and happy to assist the government by absorbing the operational costs of Pikas.

“While the government, of course, has the budget to roll out the NIP, we welcome this contribution from the private sector; we can use the budget for NIP for the rollout for the general population,” Khairy said. - Mkini