ISKANDAR PUTERI: The state government has given an assurance that no more vaccination centres (PPV) in Johor will be closed because of a lack of vaccine supply as had happened previously.

       State health and environment committee chairman R. Vidyananthan said this was due to the distribution of vaccines being much higher in numbers and more organised.

       “With the distribution of more vaccines, there is no need for PPV to be temporarily closed and I hope that this situation will last,” he said.

       The Kahang assemblyman said this in his reply to S. Gopalakrishnan (PH-Tiram), Chew Peck Choo (PH-Yong Peng), Yeo Tung Siong (PH-Pekan Nanas) and Datuk Sharifah Azizah Syed Zain (Umno-Penawar) during the state assembly meeting held at Bangunan Sultan Ismail here yesterday.

       Vidyananthan also said that during the initial stage of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme, the distribution of vaccines in Johor was low, with only 14 PPV operating then.

       “When Phase Two of the programme started, targeting a high density of the population, mega PPV were opened to accommodate the higher capacity.

       “Vaccine distribution was weekly and uneven, sometimes resulting in PPV with lower capacity being shut down to make way for a smoother and continuous operation at mega PPV,” he revealed.

       He added that so far, there were 241 PPV of various types operating throughout the state such as public, private, mobile, industrial and mega PPV.

       The scheduling of vaccinations at these centres depends on the appointments given through the MySejahtera app, he noted.

       “However, if there is any issue such as distance from the place of residence, it can be channelled to the ‘Helpdesk’ on the app and the desired PPV location can be submitted,” he said.

       Vidyananthan also said the distribution of Covid-19 vaccines to those living in rural areas, including islands around Johor, was being carried out on an outreach mode by a mobile team in each district on a scheduled basis.