NSC allows Penang transition to Phase 2 from July 7

 

The National Security Council (NSC) has agreed to allow Penang to move into Phase 2 under the National Recovery Plan (NRP) from July 7, which will see some easing of restrictions against Covid-19.

Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the NSC meeting chaired by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin today had reviewed the thresholds and agreed that the state had met the conditions to move into Phase 2.

He said this includes the fact that the state’s seven-day average for new Covid-19 cases is at 9.5 per 100,000 population, under the threshold of 12.2 cases per 100,000 population.

Furthermore, the intensive care unit capacity in the state is also at a moderate level while the vaccination rate of its adult population has also exceeded 10 percent.

“Based on the three indicators and detailed evaluation of various agencies including the Health Ministry, the government agreed for Penang to transition to Phase 2 of the NRP effective July 7,” Ismail Sabri said.

This means Penang will join Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Perak and Perlis, which entered Phase 2 today.

Phase 2 allows more businesses to operate but other restrictions mostly remain.

Former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng had yesterday complained that Penang was not allowed to transition to Phase 2 even though its Covid-19 cases were lower than some states that were already allowed to transition to Phase 2.

This was largely due to Penang not yet hitting the vaccination threshold of 10 percent of its adult population.

It hit that target today with 10.1 percent of its adult population having received both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine. - Mkini