EDUCATING the public on the benefits of booster jabs would be a better approach to increasing booster uptake, said Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) president Dr Koh Kar Chai.
Dr Koh was responding to news of Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin saying on Feb 7 that those aged 60 and above who have been fully vaccinated as well as those aged 18 and above who have been given the Sinovac vaccine must take a booster shot by March 1 or lose their fully vaccinated status.
“The MMA has always advocated educating the public on the benefits of vaccinations and believes that this should be the approach in getting the public to go for their booster shots,” he commented.
“A person who has completed two doses of the vaccine is considered fully vaccinated regardless of the vaccine type. This has been the Health Ministry’s policy from the start and we believe it still stands.
“As vaccinations including the booster shots are not mandatory, those fully vaccinated should get to keep their fully vaccinated status regardless of the type of vaccine they were given.”
According to Dr Koh, the MMA agrees that there is a need for those in the high-risk group who are eligible to get increased protection against COVID-19 with the booster shots as soon as possible.
However, as the boosters are also on a voluntary basis, they should be sufficiently advised and allowed time to decide on their own, he added.
“We are confident that with enough scientific evidence shared on the benefits of getting the booster shots, the uptake in boosters in the country will increase much quicker,” Dr Koh pointed out.
“It is evident from our high vaccination rate that Malaysians do see the benefit of vaccination and many will eventually come forward to receive the booster shots.
“It should also be noted that with the economy almost fully open now, most Malaysians are busier and may postpone their booster appointments due to work commitments.”
Dr Koh went on to acknowledge that there is also the issue of misinformation and fake news on boosters circulating on social media which will need to be addressed with the sharing of simple messages to the public on the benefits of boosters backed by scientific evidence.
“The Communications and Multimedia Ministry should also be roped in as they have an important role in monitoring and identifying fake news and misinformation shared on various
social media platforms and report them to the media on a regular basis to keep the public well informed,” he noted. – Feb 18, 2022
