THERE have been concerns over allegations that some medical personnel have drawn less than the standard required dosage of the vaccine during the AstraZeneca voluntary opt-in programme in the Klang Valley recently.
While both individuals have since received their ‘top-up’ shots after raising the matter with the authorities, the idea that something like this could – and had – happened in the first place is a cause for great concern (quite the matter of life and death, actually).
To this end, the Government and all relevant authorities – specifically the Health Ministry and the Special Committee on COVID-19 Vaccine Supply (JKJAV) – must get to the bottom of this and come out with a clear explanation to avoid speculations.
After all, health experts have warned that receiving a COVID-19 vaccine that is less than the recommended dosage will reduce its efficacy, and may even result in the shot not being effective at all.
A vaccine, the experts explained, is like any other drug and medication, and you need to use a certain dosage in order for it to have the desired effect.
According to product information leaflets available from the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency’s website, one dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine is 0.5 ml.
But while those who have lodged a complaint may have been given a ‘top-up’, the problem is bigger than that.
You see, people only realise that something is amiss when they look back at the photos and videos that they have taken to commemorate the ‘special occasion’. What about hundreds of others who had not bothered to snap a photo or take a video?
It is indeed crucial that those who did not receive the full dose to be given the recommended amount, but how will the authorities go about identifying these individuals? Also, if these under-dosing claims are true, where did the excess vaccine go?
According to news reports, the COVID-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) is investigating the two cases, and at the time of writing, the extent of the issue has yet to be determined.
But until the outcome of the investigation is made known, let’s keep playing our parts to curb COVID-19 by adhering to the necessary standard operating procedures (SOPs) and of course, registering for our jabs. – May 26, 2021
Photo credit: Financial Times
