JOHOR BARU, Mar 1 — Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad was the first in the state to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine today, marking the beginning of the state’s immunisation programme.

Hasni received the vaccine at 8.45am from the Johor Baru Health Office’s quality and training unit head nurse Badariah Mohd Khalid. She was assisted by Kempas Health Clinic nurse Norazrina Johari.

The vaccine was also given to Johor Health and Environment Committee chairman R. Vidyananthan, the state health director Datuk Dr Aman Rabu and state police chief Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay as part of the state’s Covid-19 immunisation programme.

A total of 35,100 frontline workers in the state are expected to receive the first phase of the Covid-19 Pfizer BioNTech vaccine starting today.

"On February 21, we received a total of 70,200 doses of Pfizer BioNTech vaccine and are able to provide it for 35,100 frontline workers, with each individual being injected with two doses every 21 days.

"The total frontline workers in the state are 41,034, so there is an excess of 5,934 who will be given their vaccine injections during the second phase,” said Hasni during a press conference held before being given the Covid-19 vaccine at the Johor Muafakat Hall in Taman Adda here today.

Hasni, who is also the Benut assemblyman, said the second phase of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme in Johor will start next month and will involve senior citizens, individuals with comorbidities such as high blood pressure, diabetes and so on as well as people with disabilities.

"The third phase will involve the community aged 18 and above,” he said. 

He added that the Johor state government is targeting at least 80 per cent of the state's population to receive the Covid-19 vaccine as part of the new norm.