Khairy needs to get serious about protecting the more vulnerable — Lee Ee May

MAY 26 — While it’s applaudable that round two of the AstraZenaca vaccine slots have been snapped up within minutes, it’s still a case of alarm that many much older age groups and clinically vulnerable missed out on the opportunity. It feels like the current government has turned the AZ vaccination opportunity into a circus or lottery round and are not serious about ensuring the proper age groups and most vulnerable are inoculated.

Round one has taught us that there is indeed a severe demand for the AZ vaccination and lack of hesitancy. While it’s a positive step that over-60s were first given the opportunity to register, the remaining slots should not have been given to under-40s where that age group is known to be of very low risk. This would then give the opportunity for higher age groups to attain slots. Even in the UK, under 30s are yet to be offered the vaccination unless they are clinically vulnerable as priority is given based on age brackets.

A nurse administers a dose of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine at the Dewan Gemilang UKM vaccination centre in Bangi May 5, 2021. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon

So while it’s the tech savvy 20s that are fast enough to snap up the remaining slots, unfortunately those who are older in their 50s miss out and this should not be the case. We are then offering protection to those with the most minimal risk while we see cases climb and hospitals starting to be inundated. It would make more sense for the AZ slots to be opened up by age brackets, allowing those in their 50s next to have the opportunity to reserve a slot and then subsequently 40s, with those in 20s being the last offered.

The UK, having adopted this methodology prioritising the higher age groups have seen a 92 per cent decrease in deaths and 96 per cent decrease in hospitalisation in just three months in April from its peak in January, as it prioritised the proper age groups and clinically vulnerable accordingly.

Khairy Jamaluddin needs to get this public health policy right instead of turning the vaccination process in Malaysia into a lottery round. We need to ensure the riskier groups of society have the opportunity to be vaccinated first. This is the only way we can ensure we bring death and hospitalisation rates down.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or organisation and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.