Covid-19 vaccines to arrive in Penang end of February, says CM

GEORGE TOWN, Jan 21 — Penang is set to receive the first of its Covid-19 vaccines at the end of February, said Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.

He said the state health department has informed the Penang government of the impending arrival of the vaccines at the state special Covid-19 management committee he chaired this morning.

“We are now planning the vaccination procedures especially in terms of logistics,” he said in a statement today.

He said it was also discussed in the meeting that the state health department will be identifying the need for additional assets including private resources under the implementation of the Emergency Ordinance.

He said the department will then discuss the initiative at the technical committee level first before bringing it up to the state and federal levels for further action.

Chow said the main focus of this morning’s meeting was on the state’s role in activating the working groups and committees at each level including improving enforcement at hotspots or high-risk areas.

“There were eight items that will be used as guidelines in forming a technical working committee to micromanage the prevention of the spread of the virus according to locality,” he said.

He said the state health department has shared more detailed information on the infected cases according to locality which could be used for further planning by the technical committee.

Chow said the district health office through the Covid-19 Assessment Centre (CAC) has started monitoring the SOPs on the management of positive Covid-19 cases involving Category 1 and 2 patients who were quarantined at home.

As for the screening of foreign workers in factories and construction sites, he said employers have taken the initiative to conduct mass screening based on the 3Ts of testing, tracing and treating.

“We agree to the call by the federal government to gather volunteers in the field to improve Covid-19 prevention work on the ground such as enforcement, communications and dissemination of information,” he said.

He hoped that all parties will work together and be prepared in ensuring the success of the implementation of preventive measures in fighting Covid-19.