KOTA KINABALU: Eligible Sabahans are encouraged to get their Covid-19 booster shot to increase immunity to the virus.

       Community Development and People's Well-being Minister Datuk Shahelmey Yahya said those who had completed two doses of the vaccine and met the criteria could get Pfizer or Sinovac booster shots at vaccination centres (PPV) and private hospitals that provided the vaccine for free.

       "So far in Sabah, a total of 48,461 individuals have taken the booster shots and this mostly involves frontline personnel as well as senior citizens aged 60 and above.

       "I encourage those who are eligible to come forward to get booster shots," he said when observing the shots being administered to media personnel at the Sabah International Convention Center (SICC) PPV here on Sunday (Nov 14).

       His ministry helped some 140 media personnel through the Sabah Journalists Association to receive the booster shot.

       He also also reminded members of the public to get the booster dose once they are notified through the MySejahtera app.

       He said based on Health Ministry data, the national infectivity rate (R0) had reached 1.04 and it was an early warning that the infection rate could increase again.

       He urged those who had not been vaccinated as well as the fully vaccinated to continue adhering to the standard operating procedures (SOP) outlined by the government.

       He said the PPV at SICC would operate until the end of November but vaccinations and booster shots would continue through 76 PPV and five private hospitals throughout Sabah.