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Kota Kinabalu: About 76,000 Sabahans have received their Covid-19 booster shots so far, which accounts for seven per cent of the State’s population, said Community Development and People’s Wellbeing Minister Datuk Shahelmey Yahya. Shahelmey, who is also the appointed director of Sabah’s immunisation programme, said the vaccination rate of booster shots is expected to peak in January next year. He explained that the slow rate was due to many still being ineligible for the booster dose.

Pfizer-BioNTech recipients can only get the booster shot six months after their second dose whereas Sinovac recipients can get theirs three months after their second dose. “Many Sabahans are Pfizer recipients, where the majority of them were administered the vaccine in June and July this year. “We expect the booster vaccination rate to increase at the end of December or January next year, as it would be six months after their second dose.” He told reporters after officiating a blood donation drive in conjunction with Sabah Welfare Month 2021, organised by the Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce (MCCC) Women Entrepreneur Committee Sabah, at the Karamunsing Exhibition Hall, here, Sunday. Shahlemey said booster shots were rolled out in Sabah on Oct 20, where most recipients were frontliners, senior citizens and those who have fulfilled the criteria to receive the booster dose.

On the blood donation drive, Shahlemey said it was a commendable initiative towards fostering a caring and responsible society that is aligned with his Ministry’s direction.

The programme was organised collaboratively with the Sabah Council of Social Services, Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) Blood Bank, Sabah Malaysian Red Crescent Society, Karamunsing Complex Management and 616 Med. “Programmes such as this are the backbone towards forming a caring and loving civil society,” he said. He added that the programme aims to collect 500 pints of blood which would be sent to the QEH Blood Bank.

“Blood supply is needed daily for Thalassemia patients, mothers giving birth, patients involved in accidents and those who need extra blood. “Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, low blood supply has been a serious issue in the State that we are forced to borrow blood supply from Sarawak, Johor and Selangor to tend to this pressing need. We urge the public, especially youths, to come forward and donate blood,” he said. Meanwhile, Organising Chairperson Callee Tan Kai Lee said MCCC will continue to plan and organise such community activities as part of its corporate social responsibility to society.

Also present were Community Development and People’s Wellbeing Assistant Minister Datuk Julita Majungki, State Health Director Datuk Rose Nani Mudin, MCCC President Michael Chin, Sabah MRSC Chairperson Datuk Asnan Yunus Chung and Karamunsing Complex Management Director Datuk James Hwong You Chuang.