FRIENDS and relatives from around the world have just one question for me when we have a friendly chat: If I have been vaccinated and if not, when? My reply has always been indefinite and this is exactly how it is here.
“When” appears to be a million-dollar question. The wait seems perpetual and a check on my vaccination status from a link drew the response that it is being processed.
As we know, the Covid vaccination is the biggest vaccination campaign in history and to date, more than 726 million doses have been administered across 154 countries, according to Bloomberg data. That works out to roughly 17 million doses a day.
In the US, more Americans are said to have received at least one dose than they have tested positive for the virus since the pandemic began. So far, 175 million doses have been given and in the past weeks, an average of 3.4 million doses per day were being administered.
Israel was the first to show that vaccinations were having a nationwide effect. The country has led the world in vaccinations and by February, more than 84% of people ages 70 and older had received two doses.
Severe Covid cases and deaths declined rapidly. A separate analysis in the UK showed similar results. It is now a critical war between vaccine and virus. New strains threaten renewed outbreaks.
In the early stages of a campaign, the effects of vaccinations are often outweighed by other factors of transmissibility, including virus mutations, seasonality, effectiveness of mask use and social distancing.
According to experts, in time, higher vaccination rates should limit the Covid-19 burden around the world.
In Malaysia, in terms of administering the vaccines, private hospitals and clinics have come out in support to complement the government’s vaccination drive.
Thailand’s focused strategy to vaccinate the entire population in Phuket to revive the tourism section is spot on.
Meanwhile, Indonesia is not doing bad at all having authorised one of the world’s first private vaccination programmes last month to run alongside its national drive, enabling firms to buy state-procured vaccines.
It is said Malaysia’s target to achieve herd immunity by the end of 2021 could face a challenge next month with senior citizens, who are designated a high-risk group but are slow to register for vaccination, as the country prepares to kick-start the second phase of inoculations this month.
Here is the thing, we have over seven million who have registered and we have not even reached half a million as of April 12.
The government could do better in this area by setting a target for daily vaccinations. This way we will be able to work out a firmer date for our goals.
As for the drive to increase registrations, specific state agencies need to perhaps set up walk-in counters to offer assistance to seniors who are not inclined to using gadgets and apps.
Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who is also coordinating minister for the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme, recently said due to limited global Covid-19 vaccine supply, a private vaccination programme in Malaysia can probably only start in the second half of the year.
I would think, if sufficient freedom is granted to private hospitals, they will unquestionably use their ingenuity to secure and procure the right vaccine in the numbers we need.
At the end of the day, it is about breaking the norms while keeping it safe so that our lives can return to at least near normalcy. The adage “every man for himself” may have to be adopted by Malaysia for its people.
Comments: letters@thesundaily.com
