To Jab or Not to Jab?

Now that the COVID19 vaccines are becoming more available for the masses, the burning question in everyone's mind is, of course, to jab or not to jab. 

Being someone who is not fond of having to make life's decision based on what is reported in the media, social or otherwise, I decided to attend a webinar organised by the TKC Old Girls' Association, to find a definitive answer to this very question. More so because the speakers are eminent experts in this field. They are: 

• Dato Dr. Professor Adeeba, our very own specialist in the field of internal medicine and infectious diseases, well-known for her work and publication not just in Malaysia but internationally. 

• Dato' Dr. Musa, a paediatrician and neonatologist, whose phone number I had on my speed dial for good 10 years of Tasha's early life! He is the champion for global equity in child health, rooting for immunisation as a strategy for child's survival.     

The take aways from the webinar are as follows: 

ARE THE VACCINES SAFE?

There are more than 10 different types of Covid 19 vaccines developed worldwide, using different technologies. The much talk about is the mRNA technology that has been in the vaccine pipe dream for the last 30 years (due to Ebola, AIDS, SARS and MERS). It is only now that Pfizer and Moderna are able to bring the vaccines to its full development due to an influx of funding as well as circumstances that allow for large scale testing. 

Most of the vaccines that are being talked about have gone through human trials and have been declared safe for respective applications by different relevant authorities.

SIDE EFFECTS

The side effects of COVID19 vaccine are similar to other vaccines and that it will affect different people differently. I can attest to the latter part of the statement based on personal experience in preparation for the SEA Games Manila in 2019, when all athletes and coaches were required by the Philippines Government and the Malaysian Olympics Council to have the following vaccines: 

• Polio since Philippines declared an outbreak of polio in September 2019, two months before the Games
• Flu which is commonly administered when we attend major Games that require for us stay in the Games Village with athletes and coaches from other countries. 
• Typhoid for when we travel to countries with "suspect" food and water sanitisation!  

I remember vividly the concerns I had when Serena missed her swim sessions for days because she couldn't lift her arm, Aimi had a fever so high that she had to put on drips and Ziq had itchiness at the jab locations! The remaining of the team just had a bruised ego when they flinched at the sight of the needle! 😃

The point is flu vaccines have been around since 1940s and polio vaccines, the mid 50s. Yet there are still people who experience side effects from them. It will be no different with COVID19 vaccine, now or in years to come. 

Even for a person who always get affected by vaccines, the risk due to the side effects has to be weighed against its protective benefit. As numbers don't lie, here are some based on the current statistics. 

1. The risk of experiencing serious side effects from covid19 vaccines = 1 in every 400,000 (0.0003%)
2. The chance of being infected by COVID19 in Malaysia = 1 in every 250 (0.4%)

0.0003% versus 0.4% risk. It is a no-brainer.

EFFICACY AND EFFECTIVENESS

The efficacy of the vaccines is pretty high, with close to 95% for some brands. However, it is not the only factor in choosing the best one as they vary in cost and logistics requirement with some of them needing to be stored in -70C, which is colder than winter in Antartica!  

 

As to how long the vaccine will remain effective? There is no data yet to determine whether you need to vaccinate annually (like a flu jab) or it will be good for a lifetime! 

STAGES OF ROLLOUT

Malaysia is expecting the first arrival of vaccines for mass distribution in February 2021 and the priorities have been determined as follows: 

1. The front liners
2. The elderly, the handicapped and those who have high risks 
3. General population (18 years and above)

Based on the above plan, it could be another year before we as a nation can be considered "safe" from the virus!  

WHY JAB? 

Same reason as any other vaccines - Prevention Is Better Than Cure. 

For some, science and religion don't mix but I always believe that our health and well being are the blessings bestowed by God upon us and therefore it is our obligation to strive to preserve it. 

But it is not just about us. Since we live in a society, public health is paramount and the onus is also upon us to ensure the health of the people around us through herd immunity. 

To achieve this in Malaysia based on the current dermographics, it is estimated that 70% of the population must be vaccinated. Since COVID19 vaccine excludes application to the minor, this means that almost everyone in Malaysia who is of legal age (18+) has to take on the responsibility to be vaccinated! More so, if you are suffering from diseases that put you in the high risk category. 

Hopefully with this information, when you are asked whether to be vaccinated or not, you will do the right thing and say YES to the JAB. 

SPECIAL MESSAGE

Apart from being the first neonatologist in Malaysia, Dr. Musa is also a man of religious authority, being the President of the Federation of Islamic Medical Associations (FIMA), the parent body of Islamic Medical Associations in 41 countries. It was very impressive to hear him use scientific terms and recite words from the Quran all in the same sentence, in order to win the hearts and minds of the Muslim anti-vaxxers to accept and adopt vaccination as the simplest form of protection. 

"For indeed a dirham weight (6g) of protection is better than a qintars weight (150kg) of treatment."