LETTERS: It is puzzling why there are some people who are still reluctant to register themselves for the Covid-19 vaccination exercise.
Much hype has been made to inform the people to register for the vaccination with seven million people reportedly having done so.
People have been given numerous modes to register according to their convenience and accessibility.
Science Technology & innovation Minister, Khairy Jamaluddin has even gone on Facebook, Twitter and Tik Tok to get the message across for people to register. The Prime Minister and senior Ministers are always reminding the people to register for the vaccination.
Even the King made a special plea to the people to register for the vaccination. Malaysia has been fortunate to procure different types of the Covid-19 vaccine for at least 80 per cent of the population to achieve herd immunity which would give resistance to the infectious disease.
The nation had to compete with many countries to procure the vaccines and they cost the government billions of ringgit. The First Phase will be ending soon with over half a million of frontliners and essential service sector workers being vaccinated.
The Second Phase will begin on April 19 or earlier and those to be vaccinated will be informed beginning April 5. The Second Phase will comprise people over 60 and those who are vulnerable to the virus. The different types of vaccines will be arriving soon for the Second Phase.
The government is thinking of opening up more centres and engaging more health experts to speed up the vaccination exercise for the Second Phase. The government is even contemplating allowing private hospitals to buy their own vaccines and to dispense them to those who can pay for the vaccine at a fee.
Many people want to be vaccinated as soon as possible and are even willing to pay, which is why it is puzzling there are those who do not want to register to be vaccinated for free.
The vaccine will help reduce the infection rate and the spread of the virus and inadvertently reduce the mortality rate of the pandemic. The vaccine is the only ray of hope that we have to combat the virus.
The medical fraternity has tested and proven the vaccine to be effective with minimal side effects. The government has given assurance that the vaccine is safe and will compensate victims who are affected adversely by the vaccine.
What more do the anti-vaxxers and the naysayers want? The vaccine gives some form of protection and safety. Without the vaccine, you are endangering yourself and others.
The onus is now on the people to register for the vaccine so that life can get back to some semblance of normalcy as soon as possible.
SAMUEL YESUIAH
Seremban, Negri Sembilan
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times