KUCHING,  Feb 23 — Sarawak’s first batch of Pfizer-BioNtech Covid-19 vaccine is expected to arrive here at around 6.30pm tomorrow.

It will be delivered to a warehouse of the Kuching International Airport (KIA) cargo section, said a notice inviting the media for coverage.

Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas and Housing and Local Government Minister Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian will be present to witness the arrival of the vaccine.

Some 2.2 million Sarawakians above the age of 18, are expected to be vaccinated.

The state’s vaccination programme will officially be launched at the Stadium Perpaduan in Petra Jaya here this Saturday with Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg to be first in Sarawak to receive it.

The first phase of the vaccination programme would be from the end of this month until April for 97,000 frontliners, while the second and third phase would be from the end of March to August this year, for 929,000 people in high risk groups and 992,000 people who are above 18-year-old, respectively.

It has been reported that Sarawak aims to speed up and complete all three phases of free vaccination by August this year, some five months ahead of the national plan.

The national roll out for implementation of the immunisation programme begins in phases beginning tomorrow with Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Health director-general Tan Sr Dr Noor Hishan Abdullah to be among the first to receive the Covid-19 vaccine. — Borneo Post Online