Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah
KUCHING (Feb 18): The Health Ministry has clarified today that it has not released the Covid-19 vaccination consent form after claims that the document is now available was spread on social media.
Health Director-General Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the document on social media was not the actual form which will be distributed soon to the potential vaccine recipients in the first phase of the vaccination programme.
“In this respect, the public are reminded not to spread misleading information that can cause anxiety in the people,” he said in a statement today.
He pointed out that the Covid-19 vaccination was meant to protect the people from the virus as well as to reduce the symptoms in people who may have been infected.
“As the Covid-19 vaccination is voluntary, a consent form is required for the recipients to state that they have agreed to be vaccinated voluntarily. The form is also used in other countries which are carrying out the Covid-19 immunisation programme,” said Dr Noor Hisham.
He said the form would ensure that the vaccine recipients fully understood what they have read or had been explained to them by healthcare personnel on the benefits and risks of the vaccination.
Assuring the public of the safety of the Covid-19 vaccine to be rolled out in the country soon, Dr Noor Hisham said all vaccines are assessed for their quality, effectiveness and safety by the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency before they are allowed in Malaysia.
“From the reports from countries which have implemented the Covid-19 vaccination, the vaccine is safe for use,” he said.
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had announced on Tuesday that Malaysia would receive the Pfizer-Biontech Covid-19 vaccine this Sunday,
He said at the launch of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Plan that the rollout of Malaysia’s vaccination programme would start on February 26 and would be implemented in three phases ending in February next year.
The prime minister will be the first to receive the vaccine along with medical frontliners.