KOTA KINABALU: Eligible Sabahans should take the Covid-19 booster dose to increase their immunity level, says Community Development and People’s Wellbeing Minister Datuk Shahelmey Yahya.

       He said those who had completed two doses and met the criteria could get the Pfizer or Sinovac booster dose at vaccination centres (PPV) and private hospitals that provide the vaccine for free.

       “So far, a total of 48,461 people have taken the booster dose and this mostly involved frontliners as well as senior citizens aged 60 and above,” he said.

       Recently, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said those aged 40 and above and meeting the criteria could go to an existing PPV or health facility to get a third booster dose.

       “I urge those who are eligible to come forward to get a booster dose,” he said when met after observing booster doses being administered to media personnel at the PPV in the Sabah International Convention Centre yesterday.

       Shahelmey assisted about 140 media workers through the Sabah Journalists Association to receive the booster dose.

       The state minister also reminded the public to get a booster dose after receiving an alert through the MySejahtera app.

       He said according to the Health Ministry, the infectivity rate had now reached 1.04, an early warning that the disease might spread again.

       As such, he urged the people, both fully vaccinated and yet to be vaccinated, to adhere to the standard operating procedure strictly to curb the spread of Covid-19.

       Shahelmey also said 76 PPV and five private hospitals would continue to provide free vaccination throughout the state.