by BERNAMA / pic by BLOOMBERG

JOURNALISTS in Sarawak will receive the Covid-19 vaccine under the first phase of the immunisation programme, according to the Federation of Sarawak Journalists Association (FSJA).

FSJA president Jacqueline David Impi said yesterday that journalists are also regarded as frontliners as they are required to file reports from various places in person.

About 150 journalists are expected to get vaccinated when the first phase of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme begins in the state on Feb 27.

The nationwide programme is scheduled to roll out on Feb 26 after the first shipment of vaccine arrives in Malaysia on Feb 21. The programme, in three phases, will stretch for a year, up to February 2022.

“It is learnt that media practitioners are among the 40,000 frontliners who will be vaccinated under the first phase. We thank the state government for giving us priority,” Jacqueline told Bernama.

Sarawak Press Photographers Association president Mohd Radzi Bujang said the state government’s effort in tackling the pandemic to ensure the welfare of the people is greatly appreciated.

“Hopefully, the vaccination can help media practitioners protect themselves, as well as the community from the coronavirus infection,” he said.

Sarawak director of health Dr Chin Zin Hing was reported to have said on Monday that over 40,000 frontliners in the state are scheduled to be vaccinated under the first phase from February to April.

It is estimated that 2.2 million people in Sarawak will be vaccinated this year with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.