Entire country expected to move to Phase 2 in early August, says Ismail Sabri

The entire country is expected to move into Phase Two of the National Recovery Plan (NRP) in early August, Deputy Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said today.

He said this was based on the performance of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK), which indicated that the rate of individuals completing two doses of vaccine had exceeded the 10% threshold for the country to move from Phase One to Phase Two of the NRP.

He said this development was an indication that the country was on the right track to achieving herd immunity.

“This indicator is in line with the NRP which expected the vaccination rate to reach 10% of the population by the end of July.

“If this positive development continues, the whole country will be able to move into Phase Two in early August, just like the states announced before this,” Ismail said in a statement on the NRP and the enhanced movement control order (EMCO).

According to PICK data, 11.8% had completed two doses of vaccine as of yesterday.

Perlis, Perak, Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang moved into Phase Two of the NRP on July 5, followed by Penang (July 7), Sabah (July 10) and Sarawak today.

Under the NRP, transition between phases occurs after the threshold values ​​for the three main indicators are met.

The three key threshold value indicators for transition into Phase Two are that the number of daily Covid-19 cases drops to below 4,000, the rate of bed usage in ICUs reaches a moderate level, and 10% of the population receives two doses of vaccine.