KOTA KINABALU, July 30 — The Sabah government is allowing private companies in the state to purchase Covid-19 vaccines directly for use on their employees.

Sabah Covid-19 spokesman Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said the state government had discussed the matter and decided to allow the private purchase of Pfizer, Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines to hasten the vaccination process.

"All private companies and industries will be allowed to directly purchase these vaccines. With this they can vaccinate their employees at their own premises which will be temporary vaccination centres,” he said.

Masidi, who is local government and housing minister, said that the state Health Department will assist private clinics to set up the immunisation programme at their premises or in the respective plantations.

His statement today comes after the state hit the highest number of cases yet this year at 1,066 cases.

It is the second highest daily record after the state’s Covid-19 cases peaked at 1,199 on November 6 last year.