KUALA LUMPUR, July 16 — The federal government has launched an accelerated Covid-19 vaccine rollout in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur to curb a surging epidemic that is nearly overwhelming the Klang Valley’s health care system.
“Operation Surge Capacity”, which will be managed by both the federal Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) together with the Selangor state government and the Federal Territories Ministry, plans to give all adult residents in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur at least one Covid-19 vaccine dose by August 1.
Vaccine Minister Khairy Jamaluddin announced that as of yesterday, 3.5 million, or 57 per cent, of the 6.1 million adult population in the country’s most developed state and capital city have received at least their first vaccine dose.
Another 1.3 million people in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur are estimated to get their first dose from today until July 25, plus another 1.3 million adults between July 26 and August 1.
“This is a new initiative that we have worked out,” Khairy told a virtual joint press conference with Health Minister Dr Adham Baba today.
“In order to achieve this, we’ll have to increase the capacity and supply to Selangor and Kuala Lumpur in order for us to manage the outbreak in these two states,” he said, adding that Operation Surge Capacity would not disrupt vaccine deliveries to states outside the Klang Valley.
Under Operation Surge Capacity, the Covid-19 vaccination rate in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur as a whole is targeted to increase from 180,000 to 272,000 daily jabs from today until August 1, comprising 181,000 first doses and 91,000 second doses.
Khairy said the Selangor state government’s vaccination programme Selvax for industrial workers will handle inoculation of 250,000 of the 1.3 million adults from July 26 to August 1.
Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari has appointed Bangi MP Ong Kian Ming to manage the Selvax industrial vaccination programme, while the federal government has appointed International Trade and Deputy Minister Senator Lim Ban Hong to also manage the inoculation of industry workers, according to Khairy.
“This is a joint effort by the federal and state governments to ensure the success of Operation Surge Capacity,” said Khairy.
The science, technology and innovation minister urged all individuals in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur aged 18 and above to register for their shots, as 11 per cent of the adult population in the region have yet to do so.
He noted that Labuan’s Covid-19 infection rate dropped to 0.84 and only recorded 26 new cases yesterday, after 85.3 of the island’s adult population were vaccinated.
Khairy also said all Covid-19 vaccination centres (PPVs) in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor will open up walk-in services after August 1 to accommodate people who are not officially registered in population data, such as undocumented migrants.
