PEOPLE rejecting Covid-19 vaccination are still adamant they do not need the protection, with one even saying he would rather contract the virus than be inoculated.

Reasons for shunning the jab range from distrust of the government to science, religious beliefs and lack of confidence in the vaccine development process, with sceptics saying they feel the Covid-19 vaccines were rolled out too hastily.

A 58-year-old businessman from Kuala Lumpur said he is not against vaccination but said the government is not being transparent enough.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, he said the government was not giving the full picture on those who faced severe side effects or even death after vaccination.

“What we don’t know from the vaccination is the severe risk that we might face post vaccination. The government is only giving basic incomplete information.”

This is despite health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah saying research showed severe side effects post-vaccination are highly unlikely.

He also said that severe side effects were reported at 0.05 for every 1,000 doses given in Malaysia.

The businessman also felt the government has not been truthful about people who died following vaccination.

He doubted the explanation that these cases also had co-morbidities and underlying conditions that aggravated their response to the vaccine.

“The government always says it is because of their underlying condition, but what is triggering it? They have been living with their underlying medical condition for years prior to Covid-19 vaccination but after vaccination, some have severe side effects while some die. What is the cause?

“Will the government be transparent? Of course not,” he said.

The individual said that he is not an anti-vaxxer but is particularly hesitant towards the Covid-19 vaccines because they were developed in a record time.

This is despite governments and the World Health Organization (WHO) deeming the Covid-19 pandemic as a global emergency that had to be suppressed as quickly as possible.

Since the start of Malaysia’s Covid-19 vaccination programme in late February last year, nearly 98% of the country’s adult population have received one or both of their primary doses.

Booster shots are currently being rolled out, with at least 49% of the adult population covered.

The government is “mandating” vaccination by way of movement privileges for people who are fully vaccinated, such as dining in at restaurants and entry to hotels and other facilities. In the civil service, it is mandatory except for those with health reasons.

The businessman said if this were the case, then it is wrong to blame the unvaccinated for the rise in Covid-19 cases.

“They revoked our privileges. We are not dining out, not going shopping, picnic or whatsoever. So, who is now spreading the virus? The vaccinated or the unvaccinated?” he asked.

However, health authorities including the WHO have never said vaccination is meant to be 100% effective in preventing Covid-19 infections.

With almost all of the population inoculated, it is only logical that the number of breakthrough infections will be higher than infections spread by the unvaccinated.

What the vaccine does is lower the risk of infection, hospitalisation and death, the WHO has said.

Asked if he would get vaccinated in the near future, the businessman said he would not, and added that he had more chance of survival and recovery if he caught Covid-19.

However, government statistics say otherwise. The number of Covid-19 deaths per 100,000 cases now – with more than 90% of the population fully vaccinated – is 9.7% for unvaccinated, compared to only 0.6% for people with two doses.

The chances of survival for an unvaccinated person are slimmer compared to an inoculated person.

One of the largest studies covering 22 million people over the age of 50 on prevention of severe Covid and death showed that the vaccinated were 90% less likely to be hospitalised or die.

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has also said that breakthrough deaths among those who contracted Covid-19 after being fully vaccinated represented less than 0.01% of 14 million samples.

As of January 27, Malaysia, which has had 2.85 million infections since the onset of the epidemic, has recorded a total 31,930 deaths.

The number of daily deaths began to fall from August last year, about six months from the start of the national immunisation drive.

Rights and religious beliefs

Another individual, who wanted to be known as Mustafa, cited religion as his reason for not getting jabbed and also because he did not trust the vaccines’ development.

“The ingredients used to make the vaccines, we are not sure if it is halal or 100% safe as they are still under clinical trials.

“Why must we take something that is still under clinical trial and even worse when we have to sign consent forms, stating we take full responsibility for our vaccination.

“Why isn’t the government taking responsibility since it is desperately want to inoculate us?” he asked.

Mustafa said the vaccination issue was a question of “rights” to him and others who have refused inoculation.

“No one questions a person’s rights to get vaccinated but why does it become an issue when a person decides not to get vaccinated for their own reasons?” he asked.

However, health authorities globally have said that the importance of vaccination is to protect others – an individual’s family and community. – January 29, 2022.