The chart on the left shows 709 respondents agreeing that the AZ Covid-19 vaccine be an option for Sarawakians, and the right shows the number of those who want to be inoculated with it.
KUCHING (May 5): Respondents of an online survey are generally split on whether they want to be vaccinated with the AstraZeneca (AZ) Covid-19 vaccine although most of them felt that it should be an option for Sarawakians.
The survey conducted by The Borneo Post over the last 24 hours had asked if the vaccine should be an option for Sarawakians and if the respondents themselves wanted to be vaccinated with it.
It attempted to get a bearing on the people’s views on the vaccine after the Sarawak government decided last week that it would not accept the AZ vaccine in the state following public concern over its possible side effects, which includes blood clots.
Putrajaya had earlier removed the AZ vaccine from its national Covid-19 immunisation programme; offering it instead under a voluntary programme which had a successful roll out last Sunday in the Klang Valley with all 268,000 appointment slots filled in some three hours.
In the survey, slightly more than half of the 1,024 respondents or 52.7 per cent wanted to be inoculated with the AZ vaccine, but 69.3 per cent or 709 respondents agreed that it should be an option for Sarawakians.
A teacher, who took the survey, said it was not surprising that many respondents favoured having the AZ vaccine as an option for Sarawakians.
“Yes, Sarawakians should have the option, however it should come with plenty of warnings about the side effects and the risk they are taking,” she said, declining to be named.
She said people should also be educated about how they could still be carriers even after they have been vaccinated.
“So while they feel secure in their own health, they could still be risking those who are immune-compromised or unvaccinated.
“Maybe they feel like they want to have some sense of security by having a vaccine, also to put their mind at ease since they see vaccination as a sort of solution to the pandemic,” she said.
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Another respondent said there should not be an option for people to pick which vaccine they want because they would nitpick based on what they find in ‘Google’ or read online.
The company executive said the information they find could be skewed, adding that many netizens nowadays are resorting to self research online and they believe whatever they find instead of consulting actual professionals.
“Allowing Sarawakians to have the shot is good however if there are any adverse outcomes from it, what’s next? Blame the authorities for allowing Sarawak to allow the registration?
“The implications are far and wide, and sorry to say, many Malaysians are not smart enough to differentiate between the risks as many are of the opinion that once they get vaccinated, they can go do whatever they want.
“Vaccination is not a free pass to do what you want and not adhere to the standard operating procedure (SOP),” he said.
There have been growing calls on the Sarawak government to reconsider its decision not to accept the vaccine in the state.
Among those who have urged the government to change its mind is Sibu Division Disaster Management Committee (SDDMC) coordinator Dr Annuar Rapaee, who suggested that the AZ vaccine be an option for senior citizens above 60 years on a voluntary basis.
He said that the scientific data available have shown that potential benefits far outweigh the risks posed by the vaccine.
““Whoever wishes to get vaccinated with this vaccine, they must have already been well informed about its benefits and risks. Getting vaccinated with AstraZeneca must be done on a voluntary basis and not subject to any pressure. In Canada, those aged above 60 years old will receive this type of vaccine; while in the United Kingdom, it is for those over 30 years old,” he said.
The Covid-19 vaccines currently being administered in the state are from Pfizer-BioNTech and Sinovac.