KUALA LUMPUR: The government has launched a new initiative dubbed "Operation Surge Capacity" for Kuala Lumpur and Selangor to accelerate the vaccination drive amid the spike in Covid-19 cases in the Klang Valley.
Covid-19 National Immunisation Programme (NIP) coordinating minister Khairy Jamaluddin said under this operation, the government would ensure that every adult resident of Selangor and Kuala Lumpur aged 18 and above will receive at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine by Aug 1.
"This is a new initiative that we have worked out as agreed to by the National Security Council yesterday (Thursday) and discussed this morning with the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF), along with the Selangor menteri besar and the federal territories minister.
"Following the drastic increase in fresh Covid-19 infections, especially of late in the Klang Valley, CITF is making arrangements to boost the supplies and vaccination capacity, particularly in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, which has become the epicentre of the outbreak in the country.
"Operation Surge Capacity is an extraordinary effort that we will implement with the target of administering the first dose of vaccine to the remaining adult population in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur from July 26 to Aug 1.
"The second dose is expected to be completed by the end of August according to the set period," he said in a joint virtual press conference with Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba today.
Khairy said 6.1 million people comprising the adult population in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor are targeted to receive at least their first dose by Aug 1.
"As of July 15, 3.5 million of them have received their first dose. Another 1.3 million people are targeted to receive first dose up until July 25 and the remaining 1.3 million are targeted to receive the first dose by Aug 1."
Khairy said in order to achieve this goal, the government would have to increase the vaccine supply and capacity to Selangor and Kuala Lumpur to better manage the outbreak.
The two states would see a boost from the existing 180,000 doses per day to 272,000 doses per day from July 26 to Aug 1, of which 181,000 are for the first dose and 91,000 for the second dose, he said.
"For the same purpose, we are also making adjustments to the delivery of vaccine supplies to the states to match the capacity to be increased. Vaccination capacity at all PPVs, including those under ProtectHealth, will be increased."
Khairy, who is also science, technology and innovation minister, said to ensure the success of the operation, all adults aged 18 and above in the Klang Valley should immediately register themselves for the Covid-19 vaccine.
He said to date, 11 per cent of the population aged 18 and above in the Klang Valley have yet to register.
"Efforts to intensify the vaccination in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur are similar to when we launched a mission for Labuan previously to control the spread there.
"To date, the Federal Territory of Labuan has successfully vaccinated 85.3 per cent of its adult population. Its infectivity rate or RT value until yesterday is the second lowest in the country, above only Perlis, which is 0.84 with only 26 cases recorded yesterday.
"We hope the same model and results can be adapted and achieved in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur," he added.
For eligible adults who may not be in the government's system – undocumented migrants or people without valid documents – Khairy said the government has decided to open up all PPVs in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor to allow walk-ins effective Aug 1.
"Once the operation ends on August 1, these individuals can walk in for their jabs. This is to ensure we cover all those eligible for the vaccine in these two states."