By Mustakim Ramli
SABAK BERNAM: Selangor's decision to buy Covid-19 vaccines is not to be one step ahead of any party but to prepare for the future of its people.
Selangor Menteri Besar Dato' Seri Amirudin Shari said the effort was aimed at speeding up the herd immunity following the alarming increase in Covid-19 cases.
"The group currently receiving the vaccine are those aged 18 and above but many children are also infected, but they could not be vaccinated yet and have to wait first.
"When these children can be vaccinated later, do we have to wait for the vaccine supply to be restocked again, I think it is better to be prepared for the children's future," he said after visiting the free Covid-19 community screening at Dewan Seri Sekinchan here today.
Yesterday, the state government announced an allocation of RM200 million for the Selangor Covid-19 Vaccination Programme (SCVP).
This initiative is under the RM551.56 million Kita Selangor 2.0 stimulus package which will benefit at least 1.6 million people including the low-income group (B40), students, small entrepreneurs, farmers and tourism operators.
Amirudin said after negotiations with the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) concluded on June 1, the first batch of vaccines is expected to arrive by the end of June.
The programme will focus on vaccine recipients from senior citizens and those working in the services and manufacturing sectors.
However, the state government is also working on the procurement of vaccines that will be turning 18 years old but have not been inoculated.
