In handing over 20,000 Sinovac doses to the Penang government, Selangor menteri besar Amirudin Shari said Putrajaya’s Operation Surge Capacity helped reduce hospital bed usage from 130% to 80% now.

The state’s highest number of cases was 8,549 on Aug 5, which has reduced to 3,567 as of yesterday.

“Today, as a sign of solidarity, we are donating 20,000 doses which can vaccinate 10,000 people in Penang, in helping to ramp up immunisation.

“And with these vaccinations, we believe we can bring down cases,” he told a press conference in Penang.

Asked if the donation of 20,000 doses was just a one-off, Amirudin said the Selangor government was ready to channel more vaccines to Penang should the need arise.

However, he said, Penang chief minister Chow Kon Yeow had been recently assured by the health ministry that the supply of vaccines to the state will be stabilised.

“But we will leave the option open to lend or donate more vaccines in the future, according to the state’s needs,” he said.

On top of the 20,000 doses, Selangor will be “lending” 200,000 vaccine doses to Penang to address the shortages caused by a disruption in the supply of Pfizer vaccines.

This will be returned by the Covid-19 immunisation task force when the vaccine supply is restored.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST DATA ON THE COVID-19 SITUATION IN MALAYSIA