KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 26)--The vaccines are coming right into Malaysia with more and more getting their shots starting the Pfizer vaccine, and soon China’s Sinovac vaccine will be delivered to Malaysians.
There has been plenty of debate over which vaccine performs better, which manufacturer is more credible bringing us to the logical next step which is being able to choose based on our own research and preferences.
Remember these vaccines are not being given to Malaysia for free. Taxpayer money has been used to acquire these millions of shots and they are supposed to be distributed to the public. That’s how it is supposed to work, at least in theory.
But then we have people like our Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who is so unimaginative.instead of using the issue of choice when it comes to vaccine types to boost participation, we get this typical “government knows best” dribble.
People can’t choose which vaccine they want, says Khairy
>>...Khairy said it was impossible for Putrajaya to allow the public to decide on their choice of vaccine as it would be “a big logistical nightmare”.<<
Really?
At a time when the government is trying to roll out its National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme, at a time when the government is trying to assure us of the safety and efficacy of the vaccines coming into the country, we have this smart alec telling us we will not have a choice.
The argument that all vaccines coming into the country are safe and have passed acceptance requirements by the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) is simply not good enough.
Like with democracy and with politics, people want their say and people want their choice. Like capitalism people want their money’s worth. That is the only way malaysians will be satisfied. In fact it has already been announced that some 2 million doses of Sinovac will be passed over to private hospitals. So when and how do we get the list of hospitals where we can get the vaccine of our choice?
How about private hospitals be allowed to build a bank of vaccines and the paying public be allowed to take the vaccine that will best suit their needs? Remember they are already paying for the vaccines through their taxes and again to private hospitals for service.
Be decent and give people a choice or they will have no choice but to vote for those who will give them what they want.
ENDS
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