PHASE 1 STEP 2 – IDENTIFY PROBLEM & ANALYSE PROBLEM
Task planning
ATTACHMENT 1
1) What is Covid-19 and when it started ?
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus
pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
caused by severe acute respiratory
syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was
first identified in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December
2019; a lockdown there and in other cities in
surrounding Hubei failed
to contain the outbreak. The World Health Organization (WHO)
declared a Public Health
Emergency of International Concern on 30 January 2020, and a
pandemic on 11 March 2020. Multiple variants of the virus detected which
are the Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and the latest variant omicron . As
of 8 December 2021, more than 267 million cases and 5.27 million deaths have been
confirmed, making the pandemic one of the deadliest in history as it
bring lots of death.COVID-19 symptoms range from none to
life-threatening. Severe illness is more likely in elderly patients which are
50 years old and above and those with chronic diseases. The word corona means crown and refers to the appearance that
coronavirus get from the spike proteins sticking out of them. These spike
proteins are important to the biology of this virus. The spike protein is the
part of the virus that attaches to a human cell to infect it, allowing it to
replicate inside of the cell and spread to other cells. Some antibodies can
protect you from SARS-CoV-2 by targeting these spike proteins. Because of the
importance of this specific part of the virus, scientists who sequence the virus for
research constantly monitor mutations causing changes to the spike protein
through a process called genomic
surveillance. As genetic changes to the virus happen over time, the
SARS-CoV-2 virus begins to form genetic lineages. Just how a family has a family tree,
the SARS-CoV-2 virus can be similarly mapped out. Sometimes branches of that
tree have different attributes that change how fast the virus spreads, or the
severity of illness it causes, or the effectiveness of treatments against it.
Scientists call the viruses with these changes “variants”. They are still
SARS-CoV-2, but may act differently.
2) How
covid-19 exist and spread?
Coronaviruses are often found in bats, cats and camels. The viruses live in but do not infect the animals. Sometimes these viruses then spread to different animal species. The viruses may change (mutate) as they transfer to other species. Eventually, the virus can jump from animal species and begins to infect humans. In the case of COVID-19, the first people infected in Wuhan, China are thought to have contracted the virus at a food market that sold meat, fish and live animals. Although researchers don’t know exactly how people were infected, they already have evidence that the virus can be spread directly from person to person through close contact.COVID-19 is airborne that spread via air contaminated by microscopic particles. This airborne transmission can occur at longer distances, mainly in locations that are poorly ventilated areas and low hygiene place in those conditions small particles can remain suspended in the air for minutes to hours. Thus, the risk of infection is highest among people in those areas. Infectivity can occur 1-3 days before the onset of symptoms. Infected persons can spread the disease even if they are pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic. Most commonly, the peak viral load in upper respiratory tract samples occurs close to the time of symptom onset and declines after the first week after symptoms begin. Current evidence suggests a duration of viral shedding and the period of infectiousness of up to 10 days following symptom onset for persons with mild to moderate COVID-19, and a up to 20 days for persons with severe COVID-19, including immunocompromised persons. Infectious particles range in size from aerosols that remain suspended in the air for long periods of time to larger droplets that remain airborne or fall to the ground. Additionally, COVID-19 research has redefined the traditional understanding of how respiratory viruses are transmitted. The largest droplets of respiratory fluid do not travel far, and can be inhaled or land on mucous membranes on the eyes, nose, or mouth to infect. Aerosols are highest in concentration when people are in close proximity, which leads to easier viral transmission when people are physically close, The number of people generally infected by one infected person varies; as only 10 to 20% of people are responsible for the disease's spread. It often spreads in clusters, where infections can be traced back to an index case or geographical location. Often in these instances, superspreading events occur, where many people are infected by one person Transmission can also occur, albeit rarely, via contaminated surfaces or fluids. Infected persons can remain contagious for up to 20 days, and can spread the virus even they did not have any symptoms. Most people infected with the virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment. However, some will become seriously ill and require medical attention. Older people and those with underlying medical conditions like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, high blood pressure or cancer are more likely to develop serious illness. Anyone can get sick with COVID-19 and become seriously ill or die at any age. The best way to prevent and slow down transmission is to be well informed about the disease and how the virus spreads. Protect yourself and others from infection by staying at least 1 meter apart from others, wearing a properly fitted mask, and washing your hands or using an alcohol-based rub frequently. Get vaccinated when it’s your turn and follow local guidance. The virus can spread from an infected person’s mouth or nose in small liquid particles when they cough, sneeze, speak, sing or breathe. These particles range from larger respiratory droplets to smaller aerosols. It is important to practice respiratory etiquette, for example by coughing into a flexed elbow or handkerchief and to stay home and self-isolate until you recover if you feel unwell.
3) The global impact of Covid-19
towards economy
COVID-19 is not only a global pandemic and
public health crisis; it has also severely affected the global economy and
financial markets. Significant reductions in income, a rise in unemployment,
and disruptions in the transportation, service, and manufacturing industries
are among the consequences of the disease mitigation measures that have been
implemented in many countries. It has become clear that most governments in the
world underestimated the risks of rapid COVID-19 spread and were mostly
reactive in their crisis response. As disease outbreaks are not likely to
disappear in the near future, proactive international actions are required to
not only save lives but also protect economic prosperity. On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) characterized
COVID-19 as a pandemic, pointing to over 3 million cases and 207,973 deaths in
213 countries and territories. The infection has not only become a public
health crisis but has also affected the global economy. Significant economic
impact has already occurred across the globe due to reduced productivity, loss
of life, business closures, trade disruption, and decimation of the tourism
industry. COVID-19 may be that a “wake-up” call for global leaders to intensify
cooperation on epidemic preparedness and provide the necessary financing for
international collective action. There has been ample information on the
expected economic and health costs of infectious disease outbreaks but the
world has failed to adequately invest in preventive and preparedness measures
to mitigate the risks of large epidemics. With globalization,
urbanization, and environmental change, infectious disease outbreaks and
epidemics have become global threats requiring a collective response. Although
the majority of developed countries, predominantly European and North American,
have strong real-time surveillance and health systems to manage infectious
disease spread, improvements in public health capacity in low-income and
high-risk countries—including human and animal surveillance, workforce
preparedness, and strengthening laboratory resources—need to be supported by
using national resources supplemented with international donor funding.
International collective action among governments, non-government
organizations, and private companies has been advocated in building and
financing technological platforms to accelerate the research on and development
response to new pathogens with epidemic potential. In the case of COVID-19,
such cooperation is critical, especially for the development and production of
a vaccine. The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), a global
partnership launched in 2017, has tracked global efforts in COVID-19 vaccine
development activity and is advocating for strong international cooperation to
ensure that vaccine, when developed, will be manufactured in sufficient
quantities and that equitable access will be provided to all nations regardless
of ability to pay. Furthermore, affected countries may benefit from exchanging
technological innovations in contact tracing, such as health Quick Response (QR)
codes, to manage the outbreak more effectively. However, there are important
privacy implications that need to be considered. In the case of COVID-19, the
collective response and adoption of preventive measures to stop the global
spread were implemented too late, after COVID-19 had already penetrated other
regions through international travel. Larger economic problems are
associated with the current and potential future demand for oil translating
into fluctuations in oil prices due to reduced economic activities driven by
the COVID-19 pandemic. Expected excess supply was also responsible for
significant price reductions. If lower than expected oil prices continue, many
oil-dependent economies may contract following reductions in trade and
investment. Shocks to the labor markets will be severe, especially for
countries dependent on migration. Globally, migrant workers make important
contributions to the labor markets, addressing imbalances in both high- and
low-skilled occupations. As international travel restrictions and quarantine
are likely to remain for the foreseeable future as countries try to halt the
spread of COVID-19, migration flows will be limited, hindering global economic
growth, and development.
4) The global impact of Covid-19 towards education
Economic crises have put
pressure on public budgets in the past. In some countries, this has led to
reductions in public funding for education. While cross-country comparisons do
not show a strong relationship between spending on education and educational
outcomes across OECD countries, due to significant differences in the
productivity of education systems, reducing spending without improving
productivity is likely to negatively affect the quality of education. It may
take a few years to see the effect of a crisis on education funding. In the
aftermath of the last financial crisis, despite severe budget cuts in all OECD
countries, the majority continued to increase public spending on education
between 2008 and 2009, with the first signs of a slowdown only appeared in 2010
as austerity measures imposed cuts on education budgets in about one-third of
OECD countries. However, the current crisis may affect education budgets more
quickly as public revenues decline sharply and governments review the prioritization
of education in national budgets. Forecasts predict that the pandemic will lead
to slower growth in government spending in the coming year, and that if the
share of government spending devoted to education were to remain unchanged,
education spending would continue to grow but at significantly lower rates than
before the pandemic (Al-Samarrai, Gangwar and Gala, 2020[6]). In the short term
some countries have implemented immediate financial measures to support
students and education systems in coping with the disruptions and economic
impact of school and university closures. Examples include: The Higher Education Relief Package, launched
in April 2020 by the Australian government, which provided funding to Australians
who have been displaced as a result of the COVID-19 crisis and who were looking
to improve their skills or retrain. This package reduced the cost of taking
short online courses, provided exemptions from loan fees for domestic students
for a period of six months starting in May and guaranteed funding for domestic
students, even if enrolments dropped. next is the launch of the Canada Emergency Student Benefit announced in April
2020 which seeks to provide financial support to post-secondary students and
recent high school graduates who are
unable to find work due to COVID-19 over the summer months. The Canada Student
Service Grant will also provide financial support to students who do national
service and serve their communities during the pandemic crisis. The government
has also announced plans to double student grants and broaden the eligibility
for financial assistance (Trudeau, 2020[8]), as well as additional support in
the form of scholarship funding extensions for students and postdoctoral
researchers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (Ministry of Education, 2020[9]).besides that, distance learning support measures announced
by the Italian government in March 2020 to equip schools with digital platforms
and tools for distance learning, lend digital devices to less well-off
students, and train school staff in methodologies and techniques for distance
learning (Republic of Italy, 2020[10]). In May 2020 Italy announced new
measures which seek to provide extra funding to cover costs arising from
responses to the pandemic crisis at the school and university level (Republic
of Italy, 2020[11]). This extra funding will cover the costs associated with
special services, safety equipment and cleaning material needed in schools and
universities for the next academic year, among other things. Additional
financial resources were approved to recruit new teachers for primary to
secondary level for the next school year. Emergency financial grants to cover
partial or total course-related costs were announced for less well-off tertiary
students. Support packages for tertiary students
announced by the New Zealand government in April 2020 to help students continue
their studies after the crisis. Measures include increasing the amount of
student loans and providing additional support to students to cover extra
course related costs (Ministry of Education, 2020[12]).England’s (United
Kingdom) financial support for schools launched in April 2020, which provides
additional funding to schools to support them with costs associated with the
coronavirus. The additional costs covered by the fund include utilities and
resources needed to keep the school open during holidays for priority groups of
children, support for free school meals for eligible children not attending school, as well as additional
cleaning costs, where schools have suspected or confirmed cases of the virus.
5) How vaccine works?
A pathogen is a bacterium, virus,
parasite or fungus that can cause disease within the body. Each pathogen is
made up of several subparts, usually unique to that specific pathogen and the
disease it causes. The subpart of a pathogen that causes the formation of
antibodies is called an antigen. The antibodies produced in response to the
pathogen’s antigen are an important part of the immune system. You can consider
antibodies as the soldiers in your body’s defense system. Each antibody, or
soldier, in our system is trained to recognize one specific antigen. We have
thousands of different antibodies in our bodies. When the human body is exposed
to an antigen for the first time, it takes time for the immune system to
respond and produce antibodies specific to that antigen. In the meantime,
the person is susceptible to becoming ill. Once the antigen-specific
antibodies are produced, they work with the rest of the immune system to
destroy the pathogen and stop the disease. Antibodies to one pathogen generally
don’t protect against another pathogen except when two pathogens are very
similar to each other, like cousins. Once the body produces antibodies in its
primary response to an antigen, it also creates antibody-producing memory
cells, which remain alive even after the pathogen is defeated by the
antibodies. If the body is exposed to the same pathogen more than once, the
antibody response is much faster and more effective than the first time around
because the memory cells are at the ready to pump out antibodies against that
antigen. This means that if the person is exposed to the dangerous pathogen in
the future, their immune system will be able to respond immediately, protecting
against disease. Vaccines contain weakened or inactive parts of a
particular organism (antigen) that triggers an immune response within the body.
Newer vaccines contain the blueprint for producing antigens rather than the
antigen itself. Regardless of whether the vaccine is made up of the antigen
itself or the blueprint so that the body will produce the antigen, this
weakened version will not cause the disease in the person receiving the
vaccine, but it will prompt their immune system to respond much as it would
have on its first reaction to the actual pathogen. Some vaccines require multiple doses, given weeks or months apart. This
is sometimes needed to allow for the production of long-lived antibodies and
development of memory cells. In this way, the body is trained to fight the
specific disease-causing organism, building up memory of the pathogen so as to
rapidly fight it if and when exposed in the future. When someone is vaccinated,
they are very likely to be protected against the targeted disease. But not
everyone can be vaccinated. People with underlying health conditions that
weaken their immune systems (such as cancer or HIV) or who have severe
allergies to some vaccine components may not be able to get vaccinated with
certain vaccines. These people can still be protected if they live in and
amongst others who are vaccinated. When a lot of people in a community are
vaccinated the pathogen has a hard time circulating because most of the people
it encounters are immune. So the more that others are vaccinated, the less
likely people who are unable to be protected by vaccines are at risk of even
being exposed to the harmful pathogens. This is called herd immunity. This is
especially important for those people who not only can’t be vaccinated but may
be more susceptible to the diseases we vaccinate against. No single vaccine
provides 100% protection, and herd immunity does not provide full protection to
those who cannot safely be vaccinated. But with herd immunity, these people
will have substantial protection, thanks to those around them being vaccinated. Vaccinating not only protects yourself, but
also protects those in the community who are unable to be vaccinated. If you
are able to, get vaccinated.
ATTACHMENT 2
Side effects such as fever, lethargy,
dizziness and pain at the site of COVID-19 vaccine injection indicate the
body’s immune system is responding. Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health Vice
Dean of Global Health, National University of Singapore (NUS), Assoc Prof Hsu
Li Yang, said it was more common in people aged 18 to 55 than individuals over
56. Side effects tend to be more pronounced in individuals with the system
stronger immune systems, such as young people and women.
“Common side effects such as arm
and muscle pain, fever, headache as well as lethargy are reactogenic results,
i.e. physical manifestations of the immune system reacting to vaccination.
However, this does not mean that
the vaccine is less effective if the recipient does not experience side
effects, instead everything is covered, "he said.
As for medical student Melanie
Hui, 21, she was in pain to the point of not being able to lift her arms to tie
her hair while getting her first dose of Pfizer vaccine last February.Hui, who
is also a cross-country runner, said he was also tired and suffered a headache
about two days after the injection.However, for her grandmother, Margaret
Choong, 72, only felt a slight pain at the injection site when receiving the
first dose of Moderna vaccine last month.
Their experience reflects the
results of clinical trials for both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.It shows
younger adults like Hui tend to report side effects more frequently and
severely than injected seniors.In the Pfizer trial, individuals aged 18 to 55
years were reported to experience side effects such as fever, fatigue,
headaches and at the injection site more frequently than those aged 56 and
older.
Meanwhile, an infectious disease
specialist at Gleneagles Hospital, Dr Ling Li Min, said side effects such as
fever and nausea were a good sign that the immune response was
working.“However, the effectiveness of the vaccine in the elderly has not been
well studied so far and in theory, the vaccine is less effective in the elderly
due to the lack of T cells that are in
their bodies to respond to the vaccine, "he said.
T cells are a type of white blood
cell that work with antibodies to kill the Sars-CoV-2 virus that causes
COVID-19.He added that studies in Britain showed that for those aged 80 and
over, the Pfizer vaccine had an 86 per cent effectiveness rate in preventing
COVID-19 infection over 14 days after the second dose.
In the Pfizer trial, those aged
between 18 and 55 reported experiencing side effects such as fever, fatigue,
headache and pain at the injection site more often than those aged 56 and
older.The Moderna vaccine also showed a similar trend with those aged 18 to 64
years reporting side effects more frequently than those aged 65 and older. -
AGENCY
ATTACHMENT 3
1) Intro
With the rise of the Corona virus
throughout the years 2020 until 2021, there have been many ways that we as a
society have tried to combat it. As of December 2021, there have been 3 waves
of the different variants of the Coronavirus prior to the most recent wave, the
Omicron variant. Several ways that we have tried to combat this virus outbreak
include sanitising our hands when we go out, social distancing and vaccination.
However, despite our efforts of trying to push everyone to vaccinate, there
have been a handful of people who are strongly against it. In this article, we
will be discussing why certain people are against the idea of getting
vaccinated from a religious point of view.
2) Digital
Divide
One of the biggest factors that
contribute to the ever rising number of anti-vaxxers in Malaysia is the lack of
information. Even though the government has made efforts to spread the
importance of vaccination, there is still a digital divide whereby a large
percentage of people lack access to that information. Based on a chart by https://www.statista.com/
in the year 2020, 22.84% of Malaysians are residing in rural areas. Not getting
access to information regarding vaccination or even the Coronavirus in general
is very dangerous as people without access to information are making their
judgements based on their own or other people’s assumptions. Relating this to a
religious point of view, people living in rural areas are more likely to get
their information about vaccines from religious institutes compared to
reputable sources such as the government websites. Some popular beliefs about
vaccines in Malaysia (from a religious point of view) include “We can pray to
Allah, no need for vaccination”; “Vaccination is a way for the Western Society
agenda to gain control of us” and many others.
3) The
Lack Of Trust
The second biggest factor that
contributes to the rising number of anti-vaxxers is the lack of trust. This
includes the lack of trust from the government, internet and ‘Western Agenda
Influence’. Unlike our previous point where mostly rural residents were the
ones that were skeptical, the lack of trust towards the Coronavirus vaccine can
be seen even in metropolitan areas. For instance, statements like “Alkalize,
let the body heal itself through fasting or vaxxxsinate with GMO brought to you
by pHARma? It’s fasting for me, u?” by Former Miss Malaysia 2017
Samantha Katie James and “Muslims already have natural remedies like fennel
flower and honey. Why do we still believe in other unproven forms of
medication?” by comedian and actor Zul Yahya, shows that people either don’t
trust the ingredients of the vaccine, or would rather result in different ways
to combat the Coronavirus. Another popular belief amongst anti-vaxxers
especially in Muslim communities is, people do not trust the vaccine because it
may contain RNA strains from pigs, which in Islam is considered as “haram”
ingredient. This belief was later proven to be wrong by Universiti Utara
Malaysia senior lecturer in Islamic business studies Dr Mohd Murshidi Mohd Noor
and other Islamic scholars claiming that “The original structural properties of
the RNA pig strains have been altered, whereby it’s not haram” and “If it’s a
matter of life and death, haram and halal is irrelevant”.
4) The
Spread Of Conspiracy Theories
The third factor is the spread of
conspiracy theories. Although this stems from the previous factor of the lack
of trust, this goes even further. With the rise of contemporary journalism, the
social media environment has a major flaw of quickly spreading false
information. Anti Vaxxers have been known to use methods like religious peer
pressure and spreading false information through social media platforms like
Telegram, Facebook and Whatsapp. For example, a popular Singaporean Telegram
group “SG Covid La Kopi” is a hotspot for anti-vaxxers to spread their beliefs
to the masses. They use factors such as comparing education levels to people
who are vaccinated, unverified symptoms and unverified ‘experiments’ as excuses
to make people avoid getting their vaccination. In Malaysia, platforms like Whatsapp
and Facebook groups are notorious for spreading false information in the form
of people forwarding messages that they have not fact checked.
5) Conclusion
In fin, we have discussed various
factors about why anti vaxxers think the way they do from a religious point of
view. We hope that more and more people will be informed about the importance
of vaccination as it's the best way for us as a society to prevent the spread
of Coronavirus.
References:
https://www.statista.com/statistics/760965/malaysia-share-of-rural-population/
https://t.me/SGCovidDiscussions
https://www.theverge.com/22516823/covid-vaccine-microchip-conspiracy-theory-explained-reddit
”Ajaran Sesat Dan Penyekutuan
Allah Dalam Kalangan Masyarakat” by Dr Irfan Hanees
ATTACHMENT 4
1) Intro
The issue of vaccine
use among the foreign community in general and in our country in particular is
not a foreign matter to be discussed. Still many in the general public do not
get accurate information about the need to take vaccines.
There are those who
still believe that vaccines often cause serious harm.The harmful effects of
misinformation about vaccines have also been circulated by some and this is of
great concern. Several cases of death have also been recorded in our country as
a result of not taking the vaccine or not following the vaccine dosage advice
recommended by the Ministry of Health.
As a medical doctor,
the author is somewhat concerned that this misunderstanding has short- and long
-term effects if the issue persists. There are still some parents who take the
attitude of not allowing their children to follow this immunization program. As
a result, their children will be exposed to a variety of vaccine -preventable
diseases that are increasingly contagious. The vaccine preventable diseases
include tuberculosis, diphtheria, rubella, polio, measles, mumps. in 2015, as
many as 1,500 babies in our country did not get vaccinated.
Although the rate of
vaccination in our country as a whole is still high at 95 percent - according
to the standards of the World Health Organization (WHO), but the pattern of
increasing infants who do not receive injections should be noted.
Misunderstandings about vaccine injection, and influenced by misinformation,
contributed to the statistical increase in the number of vaccine -preventable
diseases.
In this context,
parents especially need to take the appropriate initiatives and ensure that
their child adheres to this immunization program in full. They need to think
that their child will grow up in a society that is highly vulnerable to
infectious diseases.
2) Awareness campaign
Some of the questions that are
often not fully answered are when we talk about follow -up action when this
issue is supported by rather alarming infectious disease statistics. Of course,
the ministry has and is taking steps to disseminate vaccine information and
raise awareness in the community. These include the 2016-2020 Immunization
Incentive campaign, awareness talks as well as various articles distributed at
the clinic.
However, the authors were informed
that, among the parents who do not allow their children to receive the vaccine
are also highly educated and have access to relatively up -to -date health
information. Access to information without a proper understanding of a
particular form of treatment, can determine whether they help reduce or further
increase infectious disease statistics. In this context it is a vaccine
-preventable infectious disease.
Looking at this issue, the author
took the initiative by writing a short book specifically for general reference
and reference entitled Vaccines published by PTS Publication Sdn Bhd. The book
was launched in conjunction with the Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair at
PWTC recently.
The vaccine features an easy -to
-understand style of language intended for the general public to read even
without a medical or health background. The information recorded in 16
different chapters, is very relevant as several questions and issues related to
vaccines, harmful effects, national immunization programs are also described.
Various scientific and medical
facts, as well as clarification of misunderstanding issues related to vaccines
so that the public understands the purpose of vaccine injection and its
benefits. Vaccines are also often associated with toxic substances or
substances harmful to the body, so the author also describes the actual
information of the ingredients and the process of making vaccines.
There is no denying that vaccines
can cause side effects, but basically all those side effects are under control
and get the attention of medical authorities. On the other hand, if an
individual does not receive the vaccine, the body's immune system is not able
to fight the disease if it is later exposed to the disease. This can result in
more harmful effects than side effects. In addition to the authorities, we as
individuals in society can play an important role in sharing and disseminating
accurate information about vaccines. The level of our health, family, society
and even the people of the world is our shared responsibility. Immunization
programs or vaccines introduced on the concept of ‘prevention is better than
cure’.
This concept of prevention will
achieve its purpose when a community receives this vaccine adequately. The
concept of herd immunity needs to be understood, and is only achieved if more
than 90 percent of individuals in a community successfully receive full
immunization. However, this immunity status will fail to be achieved if some of
them do not comply with this program.
3) Communication, religious between the issues of
Covid-19 Malaysia vaccination program.
More than a year after the
Covid-19 pandemic hit the world, we have not seen a complete solution, in fact
many in Malaysia are 'afraid' to get vaccinated for various reasons.
Recently, about 10,000 residents
in Kelantan and more than 11,000 in Kedah who registered for the vaccination
changed their minds when it
came to their appointment day.What
caused them, who are mostly seniors, to do so and be willing to expose
themselves to a viral infection that could kill them.Their actions and those of
those who do not want to register for vaccinations hamper the main goal of
creating Malaysian group immunity as a bulwark against Covid-19.
COMMUNICATION STRATEGY
Chief Operating Officer (COO),
Institute of Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) Malaysia, Ms Siti Nurbaiyah
Nadzmi, said communication strategies needed to be changed in line with the
urging of health and socio-economic interests.
The need for the new approach
based on the uncertainties of Covid-19, in terms of infection spread, victim
demographics, and mutation variants gave rise to much speculation, wild rumors
and speculations, and mixed perceptions about vaccines and immunizations.
According to Ms Siti Nurbaiyah,
who is also a strategic communications expert, when the pandemic erupted in
Malaysia in March last year, the people were educated about the Covid-19 virus
through news displays of how the virus hit other countries and the way their
leaders dealt with it in terms of health and economy.
The press conference of the
Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH) held daily to report the number of infections
helps to raise awareness about the pandemic.He said the pandemic forced all
governments to choose the best way to communicate with their citizens not only
to fight the virus, but also a perverse perception that would thwart efforts at
the national level.
The timeliness of communication is
critical and in this case Malaysia lost a year to educate its people about the
appropriateness of immunization against Covid-19.As a result, this void is
filled with concerns leading to vaccine rejection.
“Awareness campaigns on
vaccinations need to be strategically structured in terms of key messages and
delivery across all platforms, especially for seniors who are more likely to
trust personal spreads from friends through social media applications such as
WhatsApp or Facebook.
"At this time, the main
message that must be spread must have an 'emotional appeal' that leads to a
change in perception and at the same time accept the recommendation to take
vaccinations.
“The most effective vehicle for
counteracting unfounded perceptions about Covid-19 and vaccine side effects is interpersonal,
or face-to-face, description."This is the best time for KKM, the Ministry
of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) which is responsible for
obtaining vaccines and implementing the National Covid-19 Immunization Program
(PICK) Malaysia and the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia
(KKMultimedia) to join closely and spread positive messages through machinery.
information communication is existing and does not rely solely on the
broadcasting of public announcements or PSAs on radio and television networks,
"he told Berita Harian.
In this regard, Ms. Siti Nurbaiyah
suggested that the MOH's daily report on the number of new cases and deaths
should be accompanied by the number of people who have been vaccinated.These
two things - the number of cases and the number of vaccinations - should be
seen as relevant and important to the plight of society.
THE ROLE OF RELIGION
For Dr Hizral Tazzif Hisham,
senior lecturer, New Media Communication Program of the Faculty of Leadership
and Management, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, as Internet access is not very
widespread in rural areas, face -to -face explanations need to be done,
explaining how the vaccine production process and materials are used needs to
be explained to the public.
According to Dr Hizral Tazzif, the
Islamic view on vaccination to save lives needs to be explained, the government
can mobilize the State and district level Information Departments to
disseminate information on the benefits of vaccination.
"A special committee on
vaccine communication should be set up consisting of media practitioners (such
as Malaysia's national news agency Bernama, RTM, Media Prima), KKM, MOSTI and
KKMultimedia to coordinate communication actions between ministries and
departments.
"In addition, the delivery of
information on the vaccine needs to be strengthened and expanded. Toll -free
lines need to be increased, apart from PSAs need to be intensified. Information
access needs to be expanded either through traditional media or social
media," he said.
Through PICK, Malaysia is
targeting about 24 million people to be vaccinated by February 2022. Currently
only about 11 million people have registered while 1.7 million have been
vaccinated, far from the target of 80 per cent of the population being vaccinated
to create cluster immunity.
In addition to logistical and
technical inefficiencies, awareness and information campaigns are still
relatively lacking and not comprehensive. All levels of the people and
grassroots leaders as well as religious teachers have not been involved, unlike
during the smallpox vaccine campaign or family planning which was once a big
issue.
According to Ms. Siti Nurbaiyah,
the involvement of religious leaders is very important to form a positive
perception among senior citizens in Malaysia, who on average have strong
religious beliefs.
He said, religious leaders,
through the delivery of sermons can help dispel bad suspicions about vaccines
and emphasis on compliance with Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for public
safety, thus inviting their congregations to get vaccinated.Ms Siti Nurbaiyah's
view was agreed by Dr Hizral Tazzif, who suggested that religious leaders such
as muftis, kadis and Islamic lecturers should be involved in information
sessions on the benefits of vaccines.
He said the Islamic forum program
published by the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) on TV1 should
be held to provide information and refute allegations about the vaccine.Dr
Hizral Tazzif said muftis and kadis should be active on social media to explain
the benefits of the vaccine.Time goes by, new cases of Covid-19 are increasing
day by day and loss of daily life is also inevitable.
In addition to tightening laws and
regulations to discipline the public, awareness of the dangers of Covid-19 is a
key weapon to winning the war against this vicious virus.
CONCLUSION
The conclusion is everyone must
take their covid-19 vaccine as requested by the government. Vaccines are a very
powerful tool in our fight against COVID-19. Following recent reports of a
serious but extremely rare side effect of blood-clotting from two vaccines, we
understand why people may be concerned about the risks of vaccination. But it
is also important to keep in mind the risks of COVID-19 can be a serious
adverse reactions of vaccination which is much lower than the risk of serious disease or
even death as a result of infection with COVID-19. This is why WHO strongly
recommends vaccination against COVID-19, starting with people in priority
groups - healthy workers, older persons and people with underlying health
conditions because they are more exposed
to infection, and at higher risk of serious illness and death if they become
infected with the virus.
Scientists around the world have
worked together at an unprecedented pace to do research and develop vaccines to
help control the pandemic. Nonetheless, COVID-19 vaccines approval for uses of
human have gone through all the steps to ensure safety, efficiency and quality.
WHO works with experts and national regulatory authorities in countries to
ensure this process.
All medicines, including vaccines,
have potential side effects. In most cases, side effects from COVID-19 vaccines
are mild. Severe adverse events are extremely rare, and when they do occur,
need to be closely monitored and carefully investigated. That is why countries
need to have strong systems and mechanisms in place to identify adverse events
following immunization, and to be able to clearly and effectively communicate
risks.
Both the Pfizer and AstraZeneca
vaccines are known to be effective in protecting individuals from severe
disease and risk of death due to COVID-19 in adults of all ages. In the case of
AstraZeneca, there have been reports of a serious, but very rare, side effect of
blood clotting. To date, this condition has occurred in fewer than 10 people
out of every million people that have received this vaccine. It is important
for people and health workers to understand that this risk exists and to be
alert to report and provide immediate medical care when these occurs. However,
it is also important to remember that the benefits of vaccination far outweigh
the risks of these serious adverse events. This is why WHO continues to
recommend vaccination against COVID-19, especially for priority groups such as
health workers, older persons and those with underlying health conditions.
This study provides early insight into the Malaysian
population’s knowledge, acceptability and perception regarding COVID-19
vaccines. Knowledge about vaccines was relatively poor, particularly among low
education levels, low income and not living with high-risk groups. The
acceptability rate was significantly low among males, those with chronic
diseases and those with low income. Education level of bachelor’s degree and
higher was associated with better acceptance towards COVID-19 vaccine. This
finding can help the Ministry of Health to plan for future efforts to increase
vaccine uptake that may eventually lead to herd immunity against SARS-CoV-2.
The efforts should focus on those with insufficient knowledge and low
acceptance, particularly those with chronic diseases and less financially
fortunate people.
The number of cases of COVID-19 in
Malaysia is currently rising. Vaccination, combined with other public health
measures, is the best way to protect yourself and help control the infection
rate. This is why WHO recommends taking the vaccine when it is your turn.
Meanwhile, everyone, vaccinated or not, should continue to adhere to public
health measures such as physical distancing, wearing a mask, hand and
respiratory hygiene, and ensuring good ventilation by opening windows and doors
where possible.
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