My wife and I received our AstraZeneca vaccination last week at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTCKL). It sure felt emancipating and empowering.
It was the feeling of having done something to protect our family, friends and colleagues; that we have played some small, yet significant, part in this war against Covid-19.
Yes, it is still too early to celebrate. This was only our first dose and there are 12 weeks to go before our second.
Yes, being vaccinated does not mean that the risk of getting Covid-19 is gone. While our risk of death and hospitalization is dramatically reduced, we can still get infected or worse, infect others.
And yes, as of this week, daily cases have exceeded 6,000 for the second day in a row — an all-time high.
Undoubtedly, there is still some way to go — personally and as a society.
However, we cannot deny that getting vaccinated is absolutely crucial in the greater scheme of things. By protecting ourselves, we are also protecting others (and the world).
Vaccine hesitant? Just do it.
I can understand that there’s still vaccine hesitancy amongst many — the young and old alike.
Who can blame them? There are many mistruths out there, leading to fear and rejection.
A friend who works at the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry shared an article about research showing that 65% of misleading claims and outright lies about Covid-19 vaccines on social media can be attributed to “just 12 individuals”.
With global Covid-19 related deaths reaching 3.4 million as of May 20, I can’t help but feel sad and wonder how many have been caused by fake or misleading news.
I will not delve into the vaccination debate as there are many reports out there by more credible individuals and organizations on this issue.
This includes a series of Q&As by The Star such as “Debunking vaccine myths” and “Immunopathology Expert on the AstraZeneca blood clot issue”.
Truth be told, I’m no longer amazed at how destructive and fast fake news, mistruths or sensationalized news travel on social media (including WhatsApp and Telegram).
Rather, my duty is to play my part to keep those around me safe, and to help my parents, family and friends register for vaccination when the opportunity arises. Even the US CDC says that “the best Covid-19 vaccine is the first one that is available to you”.
The process is quite smooth
“Cannot shut up about being vaccinated” is a joke circulating on social media about the potential side-effects of the vaccines. This light-hearted jibe, however, carries an important message: By sharing our experience, we instill confidence in others to get vaccinated.
For my wife and me, the entire experience took about an hour from the moment we parked our car at a nearby mall (a convenient five-minute walk) and lined up at Station 1 of WTCKL. Malaysians and foreigners, both young and old, were eagerly waiting to enter WTCKL. Everyone had an opportunity.
The policemen and vaccination volunteers were kind and courteous throughout, always reminding people to follow the SOPs and observe social distancing. Those who had come too early for their appointments — by over an hour — were firmly told by the on-duty policemen to step out of the line to make way for those on time.
The elderly and people with disabilities had a special entry lane. My friends’ parents who happened to be there on the same day, said they “felt like VIPs”.
We passed three checkpoints and had to scan our app twice. Then we were ushered into Merdeka Hall where our Station 1 volunteers (from Doctor2u) handed out consent forms. I noticed that the volunteers for Station 2 and 3 were from different organizations — some were students.
Next up was medical consultation with a doctor. Mine was relatively quick, as I am not on any medication nor do I have any pre-existing conditions of concern. This determines how long the observation period will be after receiving the vaccine (ranging between 15 and 30 minutes).
For those bringing their parents or the elderly or are on medication, it’s advisable to write down in advance the list of medications being taken. This helps the doctor to assess potential risks and determine whether the vaccine is safe to administer. If you have any concerns regarding your health, you can always see a specialist doctor prior to your vaccination and bring your doctor’s report along.
And then finally, it was time to get vaccinated. I was blessed to have a very kind and capable nurse administer the vaccine. It was fast and painless, took less than a minute and she did it with a smile.
After getting vaccinated, we scanned our app again to confirm the vaccination dose had been administered and then headed for observation downstairs. If any adverse reactions arose, doctors were on standby. Alternatively, side effects can be reported via the app. Here, a physical vaccination card was issued, our updated to indicate the completion of dose 1.
Thereafter, we could return home.
Conclusion
I accidentally squeezed my wife’s arm where the vaccine jab was administered.
“Are you trying to kill me”, said my wife as she shed a tear from the pain and we both broke out in laughter shortly thereafter, as I answered “Yes” (much to my own peril).
Post-vaccination side-effects vary from person to person. Forty-eight hours after the vaccine, I was mostly okay despite some soreness in my arm. One evening, my wife had the chills. Some of our friends reported fever and nausea. Paracetamol and water were everyone’s friend.
By day four, things mostly returned to normal.
Yes, there are remote risks associated with getting all vaccinations and there are many unknowns.
But, as more and more data emerges on the real-world benefits of vaccination, and as other countries lift Covid-19 restrictions, hope emerges and we see light at the end of this long tunnel.
With over two million doses administered and as things ramp up, we are on our way towards herd immunity. Let us give our support, get vaccinated and protect each other.
