The AstraZeneca vaccine: What you need to know
PETALING JAYA: In the space of just three-and-a-half hours on Sunday, 260,000 Malaysians signed up to be vaccinated after the government allowed those in the Klang Valley to volunteer for the AstraZeneca vaccine.
After the success of the weekend, the minister coordinating the vaccine rollout, Khairy Jamaluddin, said this opt-in programme for the AstraZeneca jab would soon be opened up to the whole country.
With millions of doses set to arrive in the coming months, FMT takes a closer look at the vaccine and how it works.
What is it?
Officially branded as “Covishield”, the AstraZeneca vaccine was developed through a partnership between the pharmaceutical giant and Oxford University.
It is made using a weakened version of a common cold virus (known as an adenovirus) from chimps. It has been modified to contain genetic material shared by the coronavirus, to teach the body how to combat the real thing should it encounter the virus in the future.
Like many other Covid-19 vaccines, it requires two doses. Countries have experimented with how much time these doses are separated by, and Malaysia has settled on 12 weeks for now, prioritising making sure that as many people as possible get a single dose rather than chase completing the vaccination course.
Some research also indicates a longer interval between shots may produce a stronger immune response.
Efficacy numbers vary from trial to trial, but the vaccine has generally been around 70%-80% effective at preventing mild and moderate disease, and 100% at protecting against severe illness.
It’s worth remembering that few, if any, vaccines are 100% effective at preventing disease. For example, the flu shot administered in 2020 was only around 37%-50% effective in preventing the flu, depending on the strain.
Is it safe?
As is the case with any vaccine, medicine or treatment, there are side effects. The vast majority are mild and short lasting, such as nausea, fever and soreness around the injection site on the arm.
The formation of blood clots, medically known as thrombosis, has been observed in a very small number of people who have taken the vaccine. In response, certain European countries like Belgium, Italy, Spain, Germany and France have recommended it only be taken by those over the age of 60, and the UK had advised those between 18 and 24 to take another vaccine if one is available.
However, while these concerns have received widespread global coverage, the actual incidence rate is extremely low. As of April 21, the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) found there had only been 209 instances out of the 22 million doses administered in the region.
That means of the 260,000 people who just signed up to receive the vaccine, only two or three may develop blood clots. The chance of developing blood clots after taking the vaccine is around 0.00093% according to the MHRA, lower than when taking birth control pills (0.05-0.12%) or as a smoker (0.18%) .
It has also been proven safe for use in people with chronic diseases, particularly important given that they are more likely to experience complications if infected.
Bottom line: While there may be side effects, they are generally mild and short lasting, and even the most concerning side effect observed is extremely rare.
Should you take it?
Malaysia has not made any of the vaccines compulsory, so there is no obligation to sign up for the AstraZeneca vaccine if you don’t want to.
However, to reach the 80% herd immunity target that would mark the next major milestone in defeating the pandemic, as many people as possible need to get vaccinated.
As medical experts and the government have reiterated, the benefits of taking the approved vaccines outweigh the risks. Not only does getting vaccinated allow one to contribute to the country’s overall effort in combatting the pandemic, it also protects against contracting Covid-19, which in Malaysia has a fatality rate of 0.37%.
Dr M Murallitharan, a member of the community education and awareness group INFOVAX, said the vaccine’s safety is backed by research, and warned against believing unverified information on social media.
“Those volunteering for (the AstraZeneca vaccine) have an excellent opportunity to receive the protection conferred by vaccination against Covid-19 which may be long in coming if you were to wait for your turn as per the normal queue. With the rising numbers of infections, complications and deaths, this is one shot you may need as quickly as you can.”
How do I sign up?
Due to public concerns, coordinating minister in charge of the vaccination programme Khairy Jamaluddin has pulled the AstraZeneca vaccine from the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme, and said it will only be available on a voluntary basis.
While this round is fully booked, Khairy took to Twitter over the weekend to offer some details on future volunteering opportunities.
“We are scheduled to receive a million doses this month via COVAX. We will expand the opt-in to other states (except Sarawak, which has declined) and ensure that those without access to the internet, etc, can also sign up,” he wrote.
If you’re interested, stay glued to official channels like @Khairykj and @JKJAVMY on Twitter for updates, and sign up at the programme’s official website when slots reopen. - FMT
✍ Credit given to the original owner of this post : ☕ Malaysians Must Know the TRUTH
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