KUALA LUMPUR: The entire country is expected to move into Phase Two of the National Recovery Plan (PPN) early August, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said.

He said this was based on the performance of the National COVID-19 Immunisation Program (PICK), which has indicated that the rate of individuals completing two doses of vaccine had exceeded the 10 per cent threshold set for the country to move from Phase One to Phase Two of the PPN.

This development, he said, is an indication that the country is on the right track to achieving herd immunity.

"This indicator is in line with the National Recovery Plan which expects the vaccination rate to reach 10 per cent 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 Sabri said in a statement on PPN and the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) today.

Based on data by PICK, those who have completed two doses of the vaccine reached 11.8 percent yesterday.

Perlis, Perak, Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang moved into Phase Two of PPN on July 5, followed by Penang (July 7), Sabah (July 10) and Sarawak today (July 14).

Under PPN, phase transition is after the threshold values for the three main indicators are met.

The three key threshold value indicators to move into Phase Two are that the number of daily COVID-19 cases drop to below 4,000; the rate of bed usage in intensive care units (ICU) is at a moderate level; and 10 per cent of the population have received two doses of the vaccine jabs.

-- BERNAMA