One of the proven effective measures in fighting the Covid-19 virus is revamping vaccinations until 70 to 80 per cent of the population has been vaccinated to reach herd immunity. Vaccination holds the key.
Indeed, this is now our major focus. Nationwide the total number of vaccine doses has crossed the seven-million mark. We are now averaging over 200,000 daily doses.
More and more mega vaccination centres (PPVs) are being opened especially in the Klang Valley. All of these efforts augur well for our energised vaccination drive. The light at the end of the tunnel is in sight! In short, we are on track.
But if the number of registrants do not keep pace with the capacity of the PPVs, sooner or later, these PPVs will be operating at less than full capacity. While KL, Putrajaya and Labuan have the highest percent of the adult population registered (up to 100 per cent), there are other states such as Sabah where only 30.88 per cent of the adult population have registered. This is a cause for concern.
There are also those who had registered but failed to turn up for their appointment and those who are vaccine hesitant. There are also a small group who have had their first dose but are reluctant to go for their second due to the adverse side effects they experienced earlier.
It's still an open question when we will actually be able to reach herd immunity if we do not address the concerns of the above segments of Malaysians including those who refuse to be vaccinated outright.
What then needs to be done to convert these vaccine-hesitant Malaysians to get vaccinated?
1. Companies can do more to get their entire staff vaccinated. In addition to requiring new recruits to be vaccinated before they start work (similar to requiring new staff to take a medical examination), they can provide financial incentives. One media company has decided to give each of its 220 employees RM1,000 if they get vaccinated.
In addition, if ALL the employees are fully vaccinated, they will get an additional RM1,000. Indeed, peer pressure will come into play here to ensure that everyone in the company will enjoy an extra RM1,000.
2. Organisations should empower vaccine acceptors, role models and informal leaders as advocates to serve as "convert communicators" by motivating and encouraging their more vaccine-hesitant co-workers to accept the vaccine. Sometimes it merely necessitates a nudge to get these recalcitrants to say yes.
3. New social freedoms to encourage more Malaysians to get vaccinated. For instance, allowing those who have been vaccinated to enjoy certain privileges – e.g. freedom to travel interstate, travel overseas, attend sporting events, watch a movie in cinemas.
The private sector can also provide incentives such as providing free parking to patrons at shopping malls and entertainment centres as well as offer price discounts to those who have been vaccinated.
Finally, a plea to fellow Malaysians. We are all in this together. If you are not part of the solution (in getting vaccinated), then be mindful that you are indeed part of the problem. Let's all work together and do our patriotic duty to return our country to normalcy as soon as possible.
DR POLA SINGH
Kuala Lumpur