KOTA KINABALU: The government should make use of all facilities, including vacant hotels, to handle Covid-19 related matters such as housing patients and vaccinating people, suggests the Sabah Real Estate and Developers Association.Association president Datuk Chua Soon Ping said this would help speed up the vaccination process to achieve herd immunity while allowing the treatment of patients to be done in a more conducive environment.

“With so many hospitals having to deal with an increasing number of Covid-19 patients, the authorities should consider utilising vacant hotels.

“Such a move can help address the sudden increase in patients and reduce congestion in hospitals,” he said.

Chua added that achieving herd immunity as well as getting the economy back on track would depend on fast-tracking the inoculation process and using all venues available.

“We must achieve the vaccination target of 48,300 doses in a day without putting people at risk of getting infected due to overcrowding at existing vaccination centres,” he said.

He also said the government should ramp up the walk-in vaccination exercise while prioritising crowd control and maintaining strict compliance with the standard operating procedure.

The association is also calling upon state health authorities to allow more mobile units and private clinics to assist in the vaccination programme.

“Single-dose vaccines like CanSino, which is due to arrive in Sabah soon, should be given to those living in remote areas.

“In addition, lockdowns are no longer an option since such methods are not effective in curbing the spread of the disease anymore, as seen by recent statistics nationwide.

“The past few lockdowns have almost crippled the economy. We should instead re-evaluate and enhance the SOP while allowing economic activities to resume,” he said.

According to a prediction carried out using the Susceptible-Infected-Removed Model and past data, Chua said Sabah’s daily infection rate might hit 1,600 cases in two weeks’ time.

He urged businesses linked to the construction sector to grab the opportunity to be vaccinated when the Construction Industry Vaccination Programme (CIVac) kicks off on Aug 19.

CIVac will be held at the Sutera Magellan Resort, and locals and foreign workers are urged to register.

“All local and foreign workers as well as construction professionals such as architects, engineers, surveyors and the rest of the supply chain of building material suppliers are included,” he said.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2021/08/06/business-association-vacant-hotels-can-take-pressure-off-hospitals