Khairy: Essential workers in the economic sector are now a priority for Covid-19 jabs | Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 – The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Khairy Jamaluddin, announced that the government is now aiming to accelerate the vaccination against Covid-19 for those working in essential economic sectors such as as the construction sector as well as the plantations and raw materials industry.

The announcement by Khairy, who is also the coordinating minister of the National Covid-19 Vaccination Program (NIP), comes after Transport Minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong announced today that more than 51,500 in the transportation industry were seen as “front lines” and being vaccinated as of today.

“The vaccination program for another important sector for the economy will start from July 1, namely the construction sector,” he said today in the multipurpose hall of the sports club of the Port Klang authority.

Khairy said the vaccination program for people in the construction sector will focus on “essential projects” and will be overseen by the Ministry of Public Works.

He added that the Covid-19 Vaccination Task Force (CITF) is currently developing plans to expand vaccination efforts to those in “critical economic sectors that are open and operational” – and is already in talks with the Ministry of Industries and Plantation Products. .

Khairy also said that the vaccination campaign for essential economic sectors will not take supplies of vaccines and other resources from the “main” program aimed at the general public.

“In fact, we have accelerated,” he said, referring to vaccination rates under the NIP.

Yesterday, 268,604 people were vaccinated under the NIP, making it the third day in a row that the program managed to exceed its goal of vaccinating 200,000 people per day by July.

Currently, according to CITF statistics, 15.1% of the Malaysian population have received their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine while 5.8% have received their second dose.

Khairy has also repeatedly stated that vaccination rates are highly dependent on the supply of vaccines, which are sourced from various manufacturers around the world.