With the COVID Vaccination programme finally kickstarted here in Malaysia, many are eager to know more about COVID vaccines. In this post, we have compiled and attempted to answer all the questions you might have regarding the COVID vaccine.
You can click on any question and jump straight to the answer of the question.
- Why is COVID vaccination so important?
- How does vaccination protect us from COVID?
- What vaccines are available to Malaysians?
- Which vaccine am I getting? Will I have a choice on which vaccine to take?
- Difference between different vaccines?
- Do I have to pay for vaccination?
- Is the vaccine safe? Any side effects?
- Can a COVID-19 vaccine make me sick with COVID-19?
- After getting a COVID-19 vaccine, will I test positive for COVID-19 on a viral test?
- Can I still get COVID-19 after the first dose of vaccine?
- What happens if I choose not to get vaccinated?
- How to register for vaccination programme?
- When will I get the vaccine?
- Should I get the vaccine if I’m pregnant/old/already had COVID-19?
- Do I still have to social distance/wear a mask after I’m vaccinated?
- Will I still get COVID-19 after being vaccinated?
Why is COVID vaccination so important?
To understand why COVID vaccination is so important, we first need to understand the concept of herd immunity. We all know that vaccination protects us from getting the disease – but more importantly, it can stop the spread of the virus. An immune person cannot pass on the virus and the chain of transmission can be stopped.
When enough people in a community is vaccinated/immune to the virus, everyone in the community is safe. This is what we called herd immunity or community immunity.
This is how a virus normally spreads within a community
With 50% vaccination, this is what happens:
Notice how the whole population is protected eventhough only 50% of the people are vaccinated?
There are people who can’t be vaccinated, maybe because they are too young, too old, pregnant, or have weak immune systems etc.
But if these people are surrounded by people who have received the vaccine, then they can be safe too!
How does vaccination protect us from COVID?
To understand how vaccines work, we first need to understand how our body fights infections. We have a very smart system called the immune system.
The immune system works by producing immune cells that target and kill infections.
The first time the body encounters a germ, it can take several days
to produce the right immune cells to kill the infection. After the infection, the immune system remembers what it learned about how to protect the body against that disease.
If we encounter the same germ again after the first exposure, our immune system will know how to react immediately, and this time we don’t have to wait several days to get rid of the germ. The germ simply don’t have the time to multiply in our body because our immune system works so quickly.
Vaccines work by imitating an infection. When injected with vaccine, the “fake” virus will trigger the same immune response in our body.
But because this “fake” virus does not multiply, it won’t actually cause any illnesses. The whole idea is to “teach” our immune system how to react when it encounters the real virus in the future.
What vaccines are available to Malaysians?
According to the Malaysia’s National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme Handbook, Malaysia will be getting five vaccines.
1.) Pfizer-BioNTech
Country of origin: US
Type: mRNA vaccine
Dose required: 2 doses (3 weeks apart)
Efficacy rate: 95%
2.) AstraZeneca
Country of origin: UK
Type: Viral Vector Vaccine
Dose required: 2 doses (4 weeks apart)
Efficacy rate: 62% – 90%
3.) Sinovac
Country of origin: China
Type: Inactivated virus vaccine
Dose required: 2 doses (2 weeks apart)
Efficacy rate: 50.4% – 91.25%
4.) CanSinoBIO
Country of origin: China
Type: Viral vector vaccine
Dose required: 1 dose only
Efficacy rate: 65.7%
5.) Sputnik V
Country of origin: Russia
Type: Viral vector vaccine
Dose required: 2 doses (3 weeks apart)
Efficacy rate: 91.6%
Which vaccine am I getting? Will I have a choice on which vaccine to take?
Malaysians will be getting one of these five vaccines: Pfizer-BioNTech, Astrazenaca, Sinovac, CanSinoBIO or Sputnik V.
Unfortunately, we are not allowed to choose which vaccine to receive. People in the rural areas are less likely to receive the vaccines that require extreme storage condition: such as the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
Difference between different vaccines?
All vaccines work the same way, by triggering an immune response in our body.
But different vaccines have different ways of achieving that.
Pfizer-BioNTech
Pfizer’s vaccine is a type of mRNA vaccine. MRNA is also known as messenger RNA, you can think of it as a piece of code that contains genetic information.
In this case, Pfizer’s mRNA vaccine contains genetic instruction to make the spike protein specific to the coronavirus.
Once injected, the vaccine will teach our cells how to make the spiky protein, which in turn, triggers an immune response inside our body.
Note: because only a protein is being produced and not the whole virus, it will not cause COVID-19 infection.
Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has an effective rate of 95% and requires two doses (3 weeks apart). It’s highly sensitive to heat and therefore has to be stored only at -70 degrees celcius.
AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca’s vaccine is a type of viral vector vaccine. Like the Pfizer’s vaccine, AstraZeneca’s vaccine teaches our body to make the spiky protein specific to coronavirus. too.
However, instead of using highly heat sensitive mRNA, AstraZeneca’s vaccine uses a viral vector. In simple terms, a viral vector is like a virus “container”.
This virus is relatively harmless to human and is modified to carry the genetic instruction to make the spike protein specific to the coronavirus.
AstraZeneca’s vaccine has an effective rate of 62% – 90% and requires two doses (4 weeks apart). It doesn’t require extreme storage condition because it uses a viral vector. It can be safely stored in 2-8°C for at least 6 months.
Sinovac
Sinovac is an inactivated virus vaccine. Unlike Pfizer’s or AstraZeneca’s vaccine, Sinovac uses real, dead/inactivated coronavirus to trigger the immune response.
AstraZeneca’s vaccine has an effective rate of 50.4% – 91.25% and requires two doses (2 weeks apart). It can be safely stored at 2-8°C.
CanSinoBIO
Like AstraZeneca’s vaccine, CanSinoBIO’s vaccine is a viral vector vaccine. The key difference however, is that CanSinoBIO’s vaccine only requires one dose.
In terms of efficacy, it has an effective rate of 65.7% and like other viral vectors vaccines, it can be stored safely at 2-8°C
Sputnik V
Another viral vector vaccine developed by the Gamaleya Research Institute, which is part of Russia’s Ministry of Health.
Sputnik V has an effective rate of 91.6% and requires two doses (3 weeks apart). It can be safely stored at 2-8°C.
Do I have to pay for vaccination?
No, vaccines will be provided free to everyone – including Malaysians, Expats currently in Malaysia and foreign workers.
Is the vaccine safe? Any side effects?
Yes, absolutely. Our government worked hard to verify that all vaccines registered by the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency are safe.
But there will be some minor side effects; here are some of the possible side effects according to CDC:
On the arm:
You might experience pain, redness and swelling at the site of injection. It’s normally minor and will subside after a few days.
The rest of your body:
Tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills or fever & nausea.
These reactions are normal and are signs that your body is building protection and should go away within a few days.
Also, the side effects after the second shot may be more intense than the first.
To minimize these side effects, you can:
1.) Apply a clean, cool, wet washcloth over the site of injection
2.) Move your arm more frequently after the injection
3.) Drink plenty of fluid and rest more if you get fever after the injection
Can a COVID-19 vaccine make me sick with COVID-19?
No, none of the COVID vaccines contain live virus that can cause COVID-19. The vaccines are used to “teach” our immune system how to recognize and fight the virus.
Sometimes this process can cause symptoms, such as fever or muscle ache – but these reactions are normal and are a sign that the body is building protection against the virus.
After getting a COVID-19 vaccine, will I test positive for COVID-19 on a viral test?
No, the vaccine will not make you test positive for COVID-19 viral test.
Do note that it takes a few weeks for the body to build immunity after vaccination. This means that it’s still possible for you to get COVID-19 before full immunity is developed.
Can I still get COVID-19 after the first dose of vaccine?
Yes, most vaccines except for the CanSinoBIO vaccine, have to be taken in two shots to be effective. Full immunity does not happen until at least 2 weeks after the second dose.
So theoretically speaking, it’s possible for you to still get COVID-19 before full immunity is developed.
Is it compulsory to take the vaccine? What happens if I choose not to get vaccinated?
It’s ok if you choose not to get vaccinated. Vaccination is not compulsory so you don’t have to get it if you don’t want to.
However, it’s highly encouraged that you take the vaccine in order to help our nation achieve herd or community immunity.
How do I register for vaccination?
There are three ways to register for vaccination in Malaysia.
1.) Register through MySejahtera app
2.) Register via the JKJAV (Jawatan Kuasa Khas Jaminan Akses Bekalan Vaksin Covid-19) website
3.) Call 1800-888-828 and register over the phone.
Source: The Star
When will I get the vaccine?
The vaccines will be distributed to Malaysians in three phases. The first phase of vaccination has already begun on the 21st of Feb 2021 and is estimated to be completed in April 2021. Around 500,000 healthcare frontliners and essential workers will be vaccinated in the first phase.
The second phase is expected to run from April-Aug 2021. 9.4 million of the population are expected to receive their vaccines during this phase. Seniors and high risk group will be given priority.
The third phase is expected to run from May 2021 – Feb 2022. Around 13.7 million are expected to be vaccinated during this time.
Should I get the vaccine if I’m pregnant/old/already had COVID-19?
According to Yale University,
- People with a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to any component of the COVID-19 vaccine
- People with a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to any vaccine or injectable (intramuscular or intravenous) medication should consult with their health provider to assess risk prior to receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
- Everyone else with severe allergic reactions to foods, oral medications, latex, pets, insects, and environmental triggers may get vaccinated.
Pregnancy/ breastfeeding
Pregnant/ breastfeeding mothers are encouraged to discuss with their doctors first. There is currently very limited data available about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines for people who are pregnant.
Seniors
Seniors are highly encouraged to register for vaccination because their risks of getting severe outcome from COVID-19 is higher.
Immunocompromised patients
Immunocompromised patients should discuss the risks and benefits of getting vaccine with their doctors. We currently have very limited safety data available.
Children
No vaccines are approved to be used on children younger than 18 in Malaysia.
Already had COVID-19
If you have already had COVID-19, you have some level of immunity against COVID-19. However, the level of protection is unsure so you are highly encouraged to register for vaccination.
Do I still have to social distance/wear a mask after I’m vaccinated?
We are still learning how vaccines will affect the spread of COVID-19, especially now that there are different mutated strains going around.
So, continue avoiding crowded places, wear a mask, social distance until we get further instructions from the government.
Will I still get COVID-19 after being vaccinated?
Let’s put it this way, your chance of getting COVID-19 is much lower after being vaccinated.
But much lower doesn’t mean zero. Even the vaccine with the highest effective rate (Pfizer-BioNTech) is effective 95% of the time. So there is still chance that you might get COVID-19.
Also, we are still learning about the effectiveness of vaccine against the mutated strains. The vaccines might not be as effective to prevent the mutated strains.
