KUALA LUMPUR (March 28): Government should consider allowing private medical centres and private clinics to purchase COVID-19 vaccines and vaccinate those who can afford to pay to expedite the 80% vaccination target, said Alliance For Safe Community chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye.

He said the long waiting period for those who are not in the critical category and the existence of anti-vaxxers are creating doubts about ability to inoculate 9.4 million people between now and August.

“This must be adequately and relentlessly addressed by the government. In this effort, the COVID-19 Vaccination Advisory Committee should seek the help and cooperation of community-based non-governmental organisations and religious bodies, as well as start messaging campaigns in various languages to allay unfounded fears.

“These steps will go a long way to expedite the 80 per cent vaccination target, and thus reduce the period of stress and anxiety that is now enveloping the nation,” he said in a statement here today.

Lee also said the warning by Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah of a possible rise in the number of COVID-19 cases was a clarion call to all Malaysians to be extra vigilant in a common effort to stem the spread of COVID-19.

“Make no mistake, the threat is real and we let our guard down at our own peril. We must never be complacent. Based on his extrapolation over the past three days, the COVID-19 reproduction number (Rt) had risen to 1.0, the highest since the beginning of March,” he said.

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