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Everyone, or so it seems, is talking about the vaccines that have been developed to combat Covid-19 and how soon they will be available. Some talk about possible side effects, others about the cost of vaccination.
My question is whether vaccination will be mandatory in Malaysia.
What if someone doesn’t want to get vaccinated against Covid-19? Will that person be forced to get vaccinated to “protect” those around him?
This is not like other tried and tested vaccines, such as BCG or Bacillus Calmette-Guerin, for the prevention of tuberculosis, so people may reject it. Covid-19 vaccines, even if they are 95% effective in trials, are a rush job.
What will the government do if, for example, a company insists that all its staff be vaccinated or faces dismissal? What if new hires are required to get vaccinated against Covid-19 before joining one company or another? Can they refuse? What if a bus company insists that it will only transport those who have been vaccinated?
In my conversations with people, the question of the safety of the vaccines to be used has almost always been raised. Not everyone trusts the pharmaceutical giants. And not everyone is convinced that the best brains are studying the possible effects and side effects of the vaccine in Malaysians.
As one person told me: “We are followers. If the Americans or the World Health Organization say it’s okay, our government will say it’s okay. Our genetic makeup, diet and local conditions are different from those in the West. “
Another asked who would be responsible if someone suffered serious side effects five or ten years after being vaccinated.
The concerns are genuine. There is fear, especially for vaccines that play with the cells within us to enhance our immunity.
But both Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin and Health Director-General Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah have said that Malaysians would not become “lab rats” and that vaccines would only be used if proven. that they were safe.
That is comforting.
In fact, Khairy added: “I would like to emphasize that vaccines must be considered safe and effective by the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) under the Ministry of Health before executing the agreements (with the vaccine producers) and starting the process. vaccination. . “
He also said that the government had set aside RM3 billion to fund the vaccination program, with an initial target of 70% of the population so that herd immunity could be achieved.
Noor Hisham said on November 30 that the first report of a phase three clinical study on a Covid-19 vaccine from one of the ten vaccine-producing companies that had previously negotiated with Malaysia would likely be released next week.
He said that one of the conditions for purchasing any vaccine is that it must first be licensed by the US Food and Drug Administration and the Malaysian NPRA.
Malaysia may receive its first vaccine from Pfizer, as Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin recently announced that the government had signed a deal with the company for 12.8 million doses of the vaccine.
Noor Hisham assured: “The research has to show a level of efficacy with which we can be satisfied and also without side effects, this is the most important, and these steps apply not only to the Covid-19 vaccine but to other vaccines for other diseases. too.”
Last night, commenting that the UK government authorized Pfizer’s vaccine for use in emergencies, he categorically said Malaysia would not do the same. “In Malaysia, we will not make any exceptions to use the vaccine in emergency situations. This is to ensure everyone’s safety. “That, doctor, is very reassuring.
Prevention is better than cure, even in an emergency.
Most of the ordinary people I spoke with were happy to note that the vaccine was on the way, and some said they would be happy to return to normal life before the pandemic in two to three months. I find it difficult to disabuse them of this notion.
There are still some things about vaccines that we don’t know, including possible long-term side effects and how long immunity will last after vaccination.
I’m not a medical expert, so I checked the US Centers for Disease Control website and it clearly says that vaccination alone is no guarantee of protection.
The CDC says that it will take time for medical experts to learn more about the protection that Covid-19 vaccines provide in real-life conditions and that it will therefore be important to continue wearing masks, ensuring physical distancing, and using other available tools. to stop the pandemic.
In fact, Noor Hisham had said in September that even when the vaccine was available, people would still need to maintain standard health operating procedures.
So it doesn’t seem like SOPs can be removed anytime soon. We may have to spend much of the next year, maybe even all of the next, also wearing masks and keeping our distance. We are not going to return to pre-pandemic normalcy anytime soon, if we ever will.
I hope the government will convey this message more emphatically to the public. An information campaign about the vaccine and people’s expectations and fears is needed.
I also hope that the government will make it clear how the vaccination program will be implemented, including how it will be distributed and whether it will be free for everyone, and if not, how much it would cost.
In addition, there must be a specific organism, with a web presence, to which those who receive the vaccine can report any side effects they may encounter.
In addition, I hope that the government or health authorities will clearly indicate whether the vaccination will be voluntary or mandatory.
The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not reflect those of FMT.
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