Tag Archives: Clinic

Fact Check : Ivermectin Dose + Protocol By Dr. Amir Farid?

Advice on ivermectin dose and protocol by Dr. Amir Farid is circulating on WhatsApp.

Let’s take a look at his advice, and find out what the FACTS really are!

Claim : Ivermectin Dose + Protocol By Dr. Amir Farid

This ivermectin dose and protocol by Dr. Amir Farid has been circulating on WhatsApp, teaching people how to take ivermectin to prevent and cure COVID-19.

It is rather long, so SKIP to the next section for the FACTS.

IVERMECTIN DOSE & PROTOCOL.
By Dr Amir Farid

(For best absorption, take AFTER FOOD)
Ivermectin is Best as PREVENTION. Can reduce infection by 86%.

Take 12mg/every week, (adult 50kg and above) even after vaccination (because many still get infected, some die, after completing vaccination) until COVID new cases are low.

(If weight is 90 kg or above, take every 5 days instead of weekly)

CLOSE CONTACT, HIGH EXPOSURE RISK.
If you are a close contact, or the risk of exposure is high, take the second dose 2 days after the first dose. Then continue the weekly dose.

EARLY TREATMENT ( COVID POSITIVE)
The earlier you start Ivermectin, the better. Most effective in the first 7days after exposure to infected person, not from the day symptoms start (which may happen 3-10 days after exposure)

IF POSITIVE BUT NO SYMPTOMS
Take 1tab (12mg)/daily X 5-7 days.
Then continue 1tab/per week for 5 weeks or more to prevent Long COVID.

IF GOT SYMPTOMS
Take 2 tab (24mg)/a day X 5-7 days.
Then continue 1 tab/per week for 5 weeks or more to prevent Long COVID.

Note that late treatment is less effective, but there have been many cases who recovered despite taking Ivermectin late.
So better late than not taking at all.
——
There are other protocols being proposed. I find this is easiest to remember and follow.
——
Some may experience the side-effects of Ivermectin which include nausea, diarrhea, headache, rash etc. Allergic reaction can happen, like for all drugs.

IVERMECTIN
CONTRAINDICATIONS & PRECAUTIONS

Not suitable if:

1. On Warfarin
2. On certain immuno-suppresant drugs
3. Severe liver disease
4. Severe asthma
5. History of severe allergy
6. Pregnant
7. Breast feeding.
8. Children below 5 yrs
9. Children below 15kg weight.

Hope this is clear.

Click to read more...

Fact Check : Ivermectin Dose + Protocol By Dr. Amir Farid?

This advice on ivermectin dose and protocol by Dr. Amir Farid is misleading and dangerous, and here are the FACTS why…

Fact #1 : Ivermectin Not Approved For Human Use In Malaysia

Ivermectin is not approved for human use in Malaysia, only animal use. It is also not approved for use against COVID-19.

However, hospitals can apply for the off-label use of ivermectin, which must be done in a monitored environment.

So it is WRONG for any doctor or medical specialist to advice people to self-medicate with ivermectin, more so using an unapproved protocol.

Fact #2 : Sale Of Illegal Ivermectin Punishable By Fine And/Or Jail

People selling illegal ivermectin in Malaysia are subject to these penalties :

Individuals : Up to RM25,000 and/or 3 years of prison for the first offence, and up to RM50,000 and/or 5 years of prison for subsequent offences
Companies : Up to RM50,000 for the first offence, and up to RM100,000 for subsequent offences.

Fact #3 : Ivermectin Should Be Taken Before Food

Dr. Amir Farid doesn’t seem to know that ivermectin should be taken on an empty stomach!

In fact, it’s best not to eat any food for two hours before or after taking ivermectin, for optimal absorption.

Instead, he is advising people to do the opposite. Can you really trust him to know what he’s talking about?

Fact #4 : Ivermectin Dose + Protocol Not FLCCC Compliant

The main group pushing ivermectin is FLCCC, and Dr. Amir Farid has spoken up in favour of the FLCCC.

However, the ivermectin dose + protocol that he is recommending has NOTHING to do with the FLCCC ivermectin protocol.

FLCCC recommends taking ivermectin just once a month to prevent COVID-19. Dr. Amir Farid is asking people to take it once a week.

FLCCC recommends taking ivermectin just twice after getting infected with COVID-19. Dr. Amir Farid is asking people to take one to two tablets for 5-7 days.

Fact #5 : Ivermectin Dose + Protocol Not Based On Any Study

Medicine doses are calibrated for safety and efficacy though clinical studies.

However, Dr. Amir Farid’s recommended ivermectin dose and protocol does not appear to be based on any study.

It is not even based on the FLCCC ivermectin protocol, which itself isn’t based on any study either.

So it is unknown why Dr. Amir Farid believes his ivermectin dose and protocol works. There is certainly no proof of it working.

Fact #6 : Ivermectin Not Proven To Work Against COVID-19

Ivermectin has been shown to work against COVID-19 in lab (in vitro) studies, but does NOT improve clinical outcomes or prevent transmission.

June 2021 study in The Lancet : No improvement in symptoms or clinical outcomes with triple-dose ivermectin
February 2021 study in The Lancet : No difference in transmissibility with double-dose ivermectin.

That is why the WHO and the vast majority of health authorities around the world DO NOT advocate using ivermectin to prevent or treat COVID-19.

Fact #7 : Dr. Amir Farid Raided For Prescribing Ivermectin

On 16 June 2021, Dr. Amir Farid’s clinic was raided for supplying ivermectin to patients, “falsely claiming that it can prevent COVID-19“.

Dr. Amir Farid confirmed the raid by the Malaysia Health Ministry, but declined to provide further details.

Fact #8 : Dr. Amir Farid Made False Claims In MAECC Briefing

Dr. Amir Farid was part of the first MAECC briefing on ivermectin, where he made several false claims :

Malaysia can recover from the COVID-19 pandemic “in a matter of weeks” if ivermectin is used (false)
doctors swore the Hippocratic oath and must be compliant with the Nuremberg Code and the Helsinki Declaration (false)
it is unethical to insist on more clinical trials to investigate the efficacy of ivermectin (false)

Fact #9 : People Have Overdosed On Ivermectin

Self-medicating with ivermectin can lead to overdosing because the tablets available in most countries, including Malaysia, are formulated for animal use.

In February 2021, the Missouri Poison Center even issued a warning :

There have been reports of intentional ivermectin overdoses which can cause serious symptoms such as seizures, coma, lung and heart problems.

Fact #10 : Not Safe To Buy Ivermectin Online

Due to the hype in ivermectin, scammers are pushing online sales of ivermectin at ridiculous prices, like the Scam Alert : Ziverdo Kit To Treat COVID-19!.

A single strip usually costs just US$0.30 (RM1.20), but is being sold for anywhere between US$9 to US$25 (RM35 to RM100).

Even worse – there is no way to know if you are actually purchasing ivermectin, or fake tablets labelled as ivermectin.

Those who purchase and consume ivermectin are putting themselves at risk.

So please advise your family and friends NOT to purchase ivermectin. They should instead protect themselves from COVID-19 by getting vaccinated!

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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Malaysia : +3 Million Sinovac Doses, Private Sale Soon!

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Malaysia purchased another 3 million doses of the Sinovac vaccine, and will make the CoronaVac available for private sale soon!

Here are the latest details!

Malaysia : +3 Million Sinovac Doses By End Of July!

On 16 July 2021, JKJAV announced that they will purchase 3 million more doses of the CoronaVac vaccine from Sinovac.

In total, Malaysia will receive 15 million doses of CoronaVac, all of which will be delivered by end of July 2021.

Although JKJAV did not mention why they purchased the additional 3 million doses, it appears to be meant for Operation Surge Capacity.

Astro Awani earlier tweeted (12:31 PM, 17 July 2021) that these 3 million doses will be exported overseas, but that has just been deleted – implying that it was not true.

Malaysia : Sinovac CoronaVac Available For Private Sale Soon

Ghows Azzam, Science Advisor to the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, also announced that the CoronaVac vaccine will be made available to the private market in August 2021.

I should point out that this announcement has nothing to do with the 15 million doses of Sinovac vaccine purchased by JKJAV for the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK).

It is likely that JKJAV will allow hospitals and clinics to purchase the CoronaVac vaccine from Pharmaniaga or Sinovac.

There has been NO OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT, so please stay tuned for more details…

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Can You Get The COVID-19 Vaccine With Other Vaccines?

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Your doctor may have told you that the COVID-19 vaccine cannot be given with other vaccinations, but that’s NO LONGER TRUE!

Here is what’s new with COVID-19 vaccines, and why it is safe to take one with your other vaccinations!

Earlier : Avoid COVID-19 Vaccine Within 2 Weeks Of Other Vaccines

The US FDA approved the Pfizer mRNA vaccine for 12- to 15-year old children (with 100% efficacy!) on 10 May 2021, and scheduled a meeting on 10 June 2021 to discuss making it available to younger children.

At that time, the US CDC recommended avoiding taking the COVID-19 vaccine within two weeks of other vaccinations.

Dr. Lisa Costello – a pediatrician at West Virginia University Medicine Children’s Hospital and a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Committee on State Government Affairs, said,

“We do not yet know whether we will be able to co-administer vaccines — meaning you may have to get the Covid-19 vaccine solo, not with other vaccines.”

So parents were urged to catch up on their children’s missed vaccinations, in order to receive their COVID-19 vaccination at the earliest opportunity.

Now : COVID-19 Vaccine Can Be Administered With Other Vaccines!

On 12 May 2021, Dr. Kate Woodworth of the CDC’s birth defects division, said that the CDC is changing their earlier advice, and that the COVID-19 vaccine can be administered with other vaccines, even on the same day!

At a meeting of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunisation Practices (ACIP), she said,

“Extensive experience with non-Covid-19 vaccines has demonstrated that immunogenicity,” or the ability of a vaccine to provoke an immune response, “and adverse event profiles are generally similar when vaccines are administered simultaneously as when they are administered alone,”

On 14 May 2021, the US CDC updated their clinical considerations to say that COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines can be administered “without regard to timing“, including on the same day.

The American Academic of Paediatrics also said on the same day that it supports giving childhood vaccines together with the COVID-19 vaccines.

COVID-19 Vaccine + Other Vaccines On The Same Day?

On 2 July 2021, the US CDC updated their clinical considerations to recommend that if a patient is receiving multiple vaccines on the same day, each shot should be administered “in a different injection site“.

They also pointed out that the deltoid muscle in adolescents and adults “can be used for more than one intramuscular injection“.

Their best practice for multiple vaccinations in a day include :

Label each syringe with the name and the dosage (amount) of the vaccine, lot number, the initials of the preparer, and the exact beyond-use time, if applicable.
Separate injection sites by 1 inch or more, if possible.
Administer the COVID-19 vaccines and vaccines that may be more likely to cause a local reaction (e.g., tetanus-toxoid-containing and adjuvanted vaccines) in different limbs, if possible.

US CDC On Administering COVID-19 Vaccine With Other Vaccines

In their updated clinical considerations for COVID-19 vaccines, this was what the US CDC posted on administering it with other vaccines :

Coadministration with other vaccines

COVID-19 vaccines were previously recommended to be administered alone, with a minimum interval of 14 days before or after administration of any other vaccines. This was out of an abundance of caution and not due to any known safety or immunogenicity concerns. However, substantial data have now been collected regarding the safety of COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized by FDA for use under EUA. Although data are not available for COVID-19 vaccines administered simultaneously with other vaccines, extensive experience with non-COVID-19 vaccines has demonstrated that immunogenicity and adverse event profiles are generally similar when vaccines are administered simultaneously as when they are administered alone.

COVID-19 vaccines and other vaccines may now be administered without regard to timing. This includes simultaneous administration of COVID-19 vaccines and other vaccines on the same day, as well as coadministration within 14 days. It is unknown whether reactogenicity of COVID-19 vaccine is increased with coadministration, including with other vaccines known to be more reactogenic, such as adjuvanted vaccines or live vaccines. When deciding whether to coadminister another vaccine(s) with COVID-19 vaccines, providers should consider whether the patient is behind or at risk of becoming behind on recommended vaccines, their risk of vaccine-preventable disease (e.g., during an outbreak or occupational exposures), and the reactogenicity profile of the vaccines.

If multiple vaccines are administered at a single visit, administer each injection in a different injection site. For adolescents and adults, the deltoid muscle can be used for more than one intramuscular injection.

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Kelana Jaya Health Clinic Now Only For COVID-19 Patients?

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Is it true that the Kelana Jaya Health Clinic has been closed, and will now be used only for COVID-19 patients on oxygen?

Take a look at the viral message, and find out what the FACTS really are!

Kelana Jaya Health Clinic Now Only For COVID-19 Patients?

This warning and picture have gone viral on WhatsApp, claiming that the Kelana Jaya Health Clinic (Klinik Kesihatan Kelana Jaya) is now officially closed, and will only be used for COVID-19 patients on oxygen.

Pls viral to all ur friends in kelana Jaya pj. Klinik kesihatan kelana jaya is officially closed now. Positive cases are on their way here on oxygen. The doctors are put on call in shifts starting from 8pm tonight till tomorrow. They have converted it into a covid battle field.

Kelana Jaya Health Clinic Not For COVID-19 Patients, Operating As Usual

This is yet another COVID-19 fake story that has gone viral on WhatsApp. And here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Kelana Jaya Health Clinic Operating As Usual

The Kelana Jaya Health Clinic (Klinik Kesihatan Kelana Jaya) confirmed that this is fake news, and said that they are operating as usual.

Pihak pengurusan Klinik Kesihatan Kelana Jaya ingin memaklumkan ini adalah BERITA PALSU. Klinik Kesihatan Kelana Jaya beroperasi seperti biasa.

Please be informed that this is FAKE NEWS. Klinik Kesihatan Kelana Jaya is operating as usual.
#semaksebelumkongsi #pastikanbenar

Fact #2 : Picture Was Taken At HTAR In Klang

This is for those who ask, “What if the government is lying???”

If you look closely at the background of the photo, you can see that the place has a fence made of unpainted red bricks and vertical iron bars.

It would match the fence at HTAR (Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah) in Klang, but not the actual Kelana Jaya Health Clinic (Klinik Kesihatan Kelana Jaya), which has white walls and both horizontal and vertical iron bars.

Fact #3 : Those Patients Were Not On Oxygen

If you look at the picture carefully, you can see that the COVID-19 patients were not on oxygen at all.

Fact #4 : Those Patients Were Waiting For Beds

Due to the sudden surge in COVID-19 cases, HTAR ran out of beds in the wards, and had to set up makeshift beds outside their Emergency Department.

The patients in the photo were already treated at the Emergency Department before being assigned a makeshift beds, while waiting for new beds in the wards are being readied.

This was explained in a Selangor State Health press release on 8 July 2021.

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KL + Selangor EMCO 3.0 SOP : 7 July 2021 Edition!

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Here is the latest SOP for the new EMCO 3.0 lockdown of KL and Selangor!

Please SHARE this out, so your friends are updated on the latest SOP as well!

Updated @ 2021-07-08 : Added new sectors allowed to open in Selangor.

Updated @ 2021-07-02 : Added a number of changes to the EMCO SOP for KL + Selangor
Originally posted @ 2021-07-01

KL + Selangor EMCO 3.0 SOP : Starts On 3 July 2021!

On 1 July 2021, the Malaysia National Security Council (MKN) announced that certain areas in KL and Selangor will come under EMCO lockdown with new SOP!

Selangor

The EMCO (Enhanced Movement Control Order) lockdown will last for 14 days, from 3 July until 16 July 2021 for these areas in Selangor :

Petaling District : Petaling, Damansara, Sungai Buloh, Bukit Raja
Hulu Langat District : Hulu Langat, Ampang, Cheras, Kajang, Semenyih, Beranang
Sepang District : Dengkil, Labu, Sepang
Gombak District : Batu, Rawang, Setapak, Hulu Kelang, Kuang
Kuala Langat District : Tanjung 12 (1), Tanjung 12 (2), Teluk Panglima Garang, Morib, Bandar, Jugra, Batu
Klang District : Kapar, Klang
Kuala Selangor District : Ijok, Bestari Jaya, Jeram
Hulu Selangor District : Serendah, Rasa, Ulu Yam, Batang Kali

Kuala Lumpur

The EMCO (Enhanced Movement Control Order) lockdown will last for 14 days, from 3 July until 16 July 2021 for these areas in Kuala Lumpur :

Projek Perumahan Rakyat (PPR) Sri Semarak
Projek Perumahan Rakyat (PPR) Batu Muda
Flat Seksyen 2 Wangsa Maju
Flat Seksyen 1 Wangsa Maju
Kampung Padang Balang
Taman Koperasi Polis (Fasa 1 & 2)
Flat Sri Sabah
Kampung Puah
Projek Perumahan Rakyat (PPR) Kampung Baru Air Panas
Flat Desa Pandan (Termasuk Baiduri & Delima)
Kampung Batu Muda
Projek Perumahan Rakyat (PPR) Kerinchi
Bandar Baru Sentul
Taman Ikan Emas

KL + Selangor EMCO 3.0 SOP Video : 2 July 2021 Edition!

This video shows the latest MKN EMCO 3.0 SOP slides (2 July 2021), followed by our English translation.

Please note that this new EMCO SOP will only be effective starting 3 July 2021.

KL + Selangor EMCO 3.0 SOP List : 7 July 2021 Edition!

This is the new EMCO / PKPD SOP that was updated on 7 July 2021.

Travel Restrictions

All entry and exit into EMCO areas will be closed and controlled by the police (PDRM).
All residents in EMCO areas are FORBIDDEN to leave their house.
Only one (1) household representative may leave to purchase essential supplies within a radius of 10 kilometres.
Up to three (3) people, including the patient, may leave to seek healthcare, medical care or vaccination. Updated!
Interstate and inter-district travel for the purpose of going for vaccination is ALLOWED by showing the appointment in MySejahtera, website or SMS.
Individuals under home quarantine – Home Surveillance Order (HSO) – are FORBIDDEN to leave their homes.
No one is allowed to leave their homes after 8 PM, except for emergencies or with police permission.
Only one (1) person is allowed in each personal vehicle (of all types). Additional passenger requires police permission, on a case-to-case basis.
Vehicles carrying goods or involved in the economic chain or industry (except worker transportation) is allowed to travel at full capacity.
Official and government vehicles are allowed to travel at full capacity.
Public transportation (train, bus, LRT, MRT, ERL, monorail, taxi, ferry, e-hailing ride) are allowed to operate at 50% capacity.
Taxis and e-hailing rides are limited to just TWO (2) people in the vehicle, including the driver.
Airports and ports are ALLOWED to operate as normal.
Only essential services, like utilities, cleaning and sewerage, are allowed to operate from 8 AM until 8 PM.
Only workers providing essential services or those conducting official government work, with employer’s letter or valid worker’s pass, are allowed to work.
Only workers in essential services and factories and permitted business premises can use MITI permission letters that were issued earlier.
Non-essential workers are FORBIDDEN to leave EMCO areas, and are FORBIDDEN to work during EMCO. Employers must comply with this rule, and allow employees to work from home.
Residents are allowed to leave EMCO areas for emergencies like sickness or death, with police permission. Consideration will be granted by PDRM and KKM based on a case-to-case basis.
Travel for purposes not listed in the SOP requires police permission.

Business Activities

Restaurants, eateries, food trucks, roadside vendors, mobile vendors, food courts, hawker centres, food stalls and food kiosks are ALLOWED to operate from 8 AM until 8 PM.
Food and drinks are only allowed to be purchased through take-away, drive-through and delivery.
Dine-in and park & dine services are FORBIDDEN.
Groceries, convenience stores, stores selling daily essentials are ALLOWED to operate from 8 AM until 8 PM.
Supermarkets and hypermarkets are ALLOWED to operate, limited to the food, drinks and essential supplies sections only, from 8 AM until 8 PM.
Hospitals, clinics and medical laboratories are ALLOWED to operate up to 24 hours, or according to their licence.
Pharmacies, medicine shops, veterinaries, pet food stores are ALLOWED to operate from 8 AM until 8 PM.
Petrol stations are ALLOWED to operate from 6 AM until 8 PM, except for those on tolled highways which can operate 24 hours.
Wholesale markets are ALLOWED to operate from 12:01 AM until 6 AM.
Public markets, permanent farmer’s markets (PTK) and MyFarm Outlets (MFO) are ALLOWED to operate from 6 AM until 2 PM.
Daily markets, morning markets, farmer’s markets, night markets, late night bazaars are FORBIDDEN.
Critical maintenance, repairs and wiring works are ALLOWED on appointment basis. New!
Vaccination centres in EMCO areas are ALLOWED to operate.
All educational institutes must CLOSE during EMCO.
All sports, social, recreational and cultural activities are FORBIDDEN.
Quarantine-based centralised training programmes for teams in the Malaysian Football League (MFL) are ALLOWED using Camp Based Training.
Government and private face-to-face meetings are FORBIDDEN.
KKM will conduct targeted screening tests on all residents in EMCO areas.
Food assistance from NGO / company / individual must be channeled through the District Disaster Management Committee coordinated under the District or State Disaster Operational Control Centres.

Religion

Islamic religious activities are subject to the decision of the State Religious Authority.
Non-Islamic religious activities are subject to the decision of the Ministry of National Unity (KPN).

Children Care

Childcare, private kindergartens and kindergartens in private, international and expatriate schools, and enrichment centres for children aged 4 to 6 years old are FORBIDDEN to operate, except for children whose both parents or guardians are frontliners or working in essential services.
Residential care centers or rehabilitation centers for children with disabilities (OKU), female senior citizens and other care centers are ALLOWED to operate in accordance to the SOP.
Parents or guardians sending their children to a childcare center are ALLOWED to drive with as many children as the vehicle capacity allows.

Essential Services

Government office operations in EMCO areas are subject to the instructions of the Chief Secretary to the Government during Phase 1 of the Movement Control Order.
Civil servants in essential services are limited to 20% (not including frontliners, security and defence personnel).
Government counter services are closed completely, except :
a) health services
b) police station
c) international entry gateways involving customs, immigration and quarantine.
The number of workers in the private sector providing essential services is limited to 60% (including operations and management).

General Health Protocol

Licence holders and premise owners must ensure that customers must maintain physical distance of at least 1 metre entering or leaving their premises.
Licence holders and premise owners must provide MySejahtera QR code and a manual logbook to register customers.
Hand sanitiser must be provided at the entrance, and customers must use it before entering.
The use of MySejahtera is mandatory is areas with good Internet connectivity. The use of logbook is only allowed in areas with no Internet connectivity, or other reasonable excuse.
Licence holders and premise owners must ensure that customers and workers check in using MySejahtera. or the manual logbook if there’s no Internet connectivity.

List Of Essential Services Updated!

A. Manufacturing Sector

Dry Food : sugar, cooking oil, flour, rice, break, milk products, grains, milk powder, biscuits, sardine, instant noodles, condensed milk, evaporated milk, salt, vermicelli, noodles, sauces, soy sauce, spices, baby food, animal food
Frozen Food : chicken, beef, mutton, seafood, vegetables
Drinks : mineral water, chocolate malt, coffee, tea, fresh milk
Self-care : baby diapers, adult diapers, medicines, hand sanitiser, face mask
Aerospace : Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO)
Machinery and equipment (M&E) : only for the production of healthcare and food products
Electrical and electronics (E&E) : including its supply chains

* Only involves packaging, labelling and transportation

B. Service Sector

Water, electricity and energy
Healthcare
Banking
Veterinary and animal feed
Security (security and safety), defence, emergency, welfare and humanitarian aid
Land, water and air transportation
Shipyard and airport port services and operations, including unloading and cargo handling, lighter transport, piloting and storage or stockpiling of commodities
Hotels and lodging (only for the purpose of quarantine, segregation, essential service work and not for tourism)
Communications include media, telecommunications and the internet, post and courier as well as broadcasting (for the purpose of conveying news, information and the like)
Cleaning, solid waste management and sewerage
Information technology and E-commerce (for messaging and deliveries only).
Delivery of food, beverage and parcel, including p-hailing (parcel hailing)

* Any activity that is part of chain in this service sector list.

EMCO SOP NEGATIVE LIST

All economic sectors, other than those listed in A. Manufacturing Sector and B. Services Sector in the Essential Services list.
All entertainment activities are FORBIDDEN.
All sports and recreational activities are FORBIDDEN. Public parks must close.
All tourism activities in and out, or inside EMCO areas are FORBIDDEN.
All official or unofficial public or private events, and any kind of social events are FORBIDDEN.
All forms of face-to-face seminars, courses, training, classes or any other educational or learning activities are FORBIDDEN.

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EMCO U-Turn : Up To 3 Per Car For Vaccination / Treatment!

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There is an update in the EMCO 3.0 SOP – up to three (3) people can drive out to seek medical treatment or receive their vaccination!

EMCO U-Turn : Up To 3 Per Car For Vaccination / Treatment!

Yesterday, the Malaysia National Security Council (MKN) released the full EMCO 3.0 SOP for KL and Selangor.

The EMCO 3.0 SOP only allowed a single person to leave a household to purchase daily essentials.

Taxis and e-hailing rides, therefore, can only pick up a single passenger, for the same purpose.

The only exception was for medical care or vaccination – up to two (2) persons can drive in their personal vehicle to seek medical care or to get vaccinated.

However, many people felt that such a limit was not only impractical, it does not prevent spread of COVID-19.

After all, what does it matter if multiple people from the same household use the same car to get vaccinations?

It appears that the government belatedly realised that. Less than 24 hours later, they released an updated EMCO 3.0 SOP with a single change :

Up to three (3) people, including the driver, are allowed to leave to seek medical care, medicine and vaccination.

Unfortunately, two (2) person limit, including the driver, for taxis and e-hailing rides remained, so they are not practical for those who need to seek medical help or to get vaccinated…

Could there be another EMCO SOP “adjustment” coming up soon? Hopefully…

Selected EMCO 3.0 SOP For KL + Selangor!

Here is the selected EMCO 3.0 SOP for areas that will come under the EMCO in KL and Selangor :

All entry and exit into EMCO areas will be closed and controlled by the police (PDRM).
All residents in EMCO areas are FORBIDDEN to leave their house, except for one (1) representative to purchase essential goods within a radius of 10 kilometres.
KKM will conduct targeted screening tests on all residents in EMCO areas.
JKJAV will increase the rate of vaccination in EMCO areas.
Interstate and inter-district travel for the purpose of going for vaccination is ALLOWED by showing the appointment in MySejahtera, website or SMS.
Airports and ports are allowed to operate as normal.
Public transportation (train, bus, airport, taxi, ferry, e-hailing ride) are allowed to operate as normal, at 50% capacity.
Taxis and e-hailing rides are limited to just TWO (2) people in the vehicle, including the driver.
No one should leave their homes after 8 PM, except for emergencies or with police permission.
Only essential services, like utilities, cleaning and sewerage, are allowed to operate from 8 AM until 8 PM.
Factories producing food and daily essentials like rice, bread loaves, sugar, cooking oil, flour, fresh milk, milk powder, medicines and face masks are allowed to operate.
Only those providing essential services or those conducting official government work, with employer’s letter or valid worker’s pass, are allowed to work.

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Malaysia COVID-19 Vaccine Plan : 4 June 2021 Edition!

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Here is the latest COVID-19 vaccine plan for Malaysia, as announced by the Ministry of Health.

We will keep this article updated over time, so check back for more updates!

Malaysia COVID-19 Vaccine Plan : Five Vaccines Purchased So Far

Malaysia has so far signed agreements to purchase five vaccines in 2021 :

31.9 million doses of COMIRNATY vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech
24 million doses of CoronaVac vaccine from Sinovac Biotech
6.4 million doses of AZD1222 vaccine from AstraZeneca-Oxford
6.4 million doses of Sputnik V vaccine from Gamaleya Research Institute
3.5 million doses of Convidecia vaccine from CanSino Biologics

That is enough COVID-19 vaccine doses to immunise up to 37.85 million people – roughly 118% of the adult population in Malaysia.

This does not mean that there are excess vaccine doses, because Malaysia has also committed to vaccinating foreign residents in Malaysia.

And there will come a time when children may also be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Malaysia COVID-19 Vaccine Plan : How To Register?

There are FIVE (5) ways to register for the COVID-19 vaccine plan :

The MySejahtera app.
The Vaksin COVID website.
The telephone hotline : 1800-888-828
Manually at health clinics, hospitals and private clinics
House-to-house registration at targeted rural areas for senior citizens.

Public registration program for Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the COVID-19 vaccine programme began on 1 March 2021.

Registration for dependents, including domestic helpers (maids), started on 19 March 2021.

Manual registration at private and public clinics, as well as health offices, started on 5 April 2021.

Malaysia COVID-19 Vaccine Plan : Phase 2 In Progress!

The Phase 2 public vaccination against COVID-19 kicked off on 19 April 2021, with vaccines from Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Sinovac.

On 12 April 2021, JKJAV approved the Sinovac vaccine for use in people aged 60 years and above.

On 27 May 2021, JKJAV decided to reintroduce AstraZeneca to the main vaccination programme, after making it optional.

Those selected will be notified by MySejahtera and/or SMS, and given 48 hours to accept their appointments, failing which they will be rescheduled.

You can now check your COVID-19 vaccination appointment and status online using the JKJAV Vaccine Appointment Checker (English / Bahasa Malaysia).

COVID-19 Vaccine : How To Register / Remove Dependents?

Here is our video guide on how to register for COVID-19 vaccination for your dependents using MySejahtera.

It’s the same process, whether you are using an Apple iPhone, or an Android smartphone.

Don’t worry about making mistakes. You can redo the registration, to correct for mistakes.

If you wish to remove your vaccine dependent, you can follow our guide here.

How To Arrange For Joint Vaccine Appointments?

You are allowed to apply for joint vaccine appointments.

All you have to do is call 1800-888-828 to make that request, once you receive the first appointment.

JKJAV will respond within 48 hours. But please DO NOT go the vaccination centre, without the updated appointments.

COVID-19 Vaccination In Malaysia : What’s The Process?

On the day of your COVID-19 vaccination, please go through this “checklist” before heading to the vaccination centre :

Wear loose and comfortable clothes.
Have a good meal and drink some water.
Make sure you do not have a fever, or any other flu-like symptoms.
Bring your smartphone with MySejahtera installed, and your identification – MyKad or passport.
If you have medications for your pre-existing conditions, please bring them too.
Bring your own pen, and something stiff to write on.
Make sure you wear a face mask when you leave your house.
Please DO NOT take painkillers before your vaccination!

The COVID-19 vaccination process is very easy, as the video below demonstrates.

But if you are worried, you can check out our detailed step-by-step explanation of the vaccination process.

COVID-19 Vaccination In Malaysia : Check The Dose!

There have been a few cases where vaccine recipients have been given less than the recommended dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

In other cases, it is likely that the vaccine recipients misread the volume of LDV syringes, which are different from regular syringes.

To avoid such misunderstandings, healthcare workers are now asked to show the vaccine recipient the pre-filled syringes before vaccination, and the empty syringe after vaccination.

LDV syringes though, have a special long rubber plunger – the black part. Most people misread it by looking at the tip of this long plunger.

It should be read from the first ring of the LDV plunger, as the picture below shows.

AstraZeneca Vaccine : No Longer Optional!

Due to bad publicity and viral fake news on social media, the government took the AstraZeneca vaccine off the mainstream vaccination programme.

It was made available at special vaccination centres, to anyone aged 18 or older who wishes to accept it voluntarily.

Both the AstraZeneca 1.0 and AstraZeneca 2.0 programmes proved to be so popular, the government decided to reintroduce the vaccine to the main vaccination programme.

The government also announced that the second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine will be set at 12 weeks, instead of 4 weeks.

However, you can ask for an earlier second dose, if you need to travel for work or study.

How To Report Vaccine Side Effects In MySejahtera

MySejahtera allows you to report side effects, but the option isn’t readily apparent.

So here’s our video guide on how to report vaccine effects in MySejahtera.

It’s the same process, whether you are using an Apple iPhone, or an Android smartphone.

Don’t worry about making mistakes. You can redo the report, to correct for mistakes or update it.

For a pictorial guide, see our article How To Report Vaccine Side Effects In MySejahtera!

Malaysia COVID-19 Vaccine Plan : My COVID-19 Vaccination Badge

Those who successfully completed their COVID-19 vaccination will receive :

an electronic COVID-19 vaccination certificate in MySejahtera
a physical My COVID-19 Vaccination Badge

Malaysia COVID-19 Vaccine Injury Fund : Up To RM500K!

Officially called Bantuan Khas Kewangan Kesan Mudarat Vakin COVID-19 (Special Financial Assistance for COVID-19 Vaccine Adverse Effects), this COVID-19 vaccine injury fund will pay out :

RM 50,000 for serious side effects that requires extended hospitalisation
RM 500,000 for permanent disability or death from the COVID-19 vaccine

It will receive an initial funding of RM 10 million (US$2.5 million) under the National Disaster Relief Trust Fund.

Private COVID-19 Vaccines : Free + Paid Options Coming!

The vaccines are currently administered at 600 locations across the country, that consist of :

Ministry of Health healthcare facilities
Ministry of Defence facilities
University hospitals

On 29 March 2021, Malaysia announced that the free COVID-19 vaccines will also be available at private clinics and hospitals starting 19 April 2021.

As of 12 April 2021, over 2300 private clinics have registered to take part in the vaccination programme. The 203 private hospitals in Malaysia could follow suit.

Private hospitals could be allowed to purchase their own COVID-19 vaccines in Q3 or Q4 2021.

Malaysia COVID-19 Vaccine Plan : Three Phases

The Malaysia COVID-19 vaccine program will kick off on 24 February 2021, with the arrival of the Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 vaccine, and last until February 2022.

Phase 1 : 24 February – April 2021

Phase 1 will involve immunising 500,000 front line workers, divided into two groups :

Group 1 : public and private healthcare workers
Group 2 : frontliners providing essential services and national defence (like teachers, the police, civil defence (RELA), firefighters, rescue workers, and the armed forces).

* Originally scheduled to start in first week of March, it was brought forward to 24 February 2021.

Phase 2 : 19 April – August 2021

Phase 2 will focus on immunising 9.4 million high-risk adults, divided into two groups :

Group 1 : remaining healthcare workers and frontliners (including defence)
Group 2 : senior citizens 60 years or older, disabled adults, and vulnerable adults with chronic diseases, like heart disease, obesity, diabetes and hypertension

This phase kicks off on 19 April 2021, with eligible recipients being notified as early as 5 April 2021.

Phase 3 : May 2021 – February 2022

Phase 3 will make the COVID-19 vaccine available to the rest of the population :

adults 18 years or older
– prioritised from red zones > yellow zones > green zones

This may be the last phase, but it is the most critical phase to build herd immunity that will protect the rest of the population that cannot be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Malaysia COVID-19 Vaccine : FREE For ALL Citizens + Foreign Residents

The COVID-19 vaccines will be provided FREE for all Malaysian citizens, as well as foreign residents.

Registration for domestic helpers (maids) started on 19 March 2021.

On top of that, vulnerable foreigners will be included in Phase 2 of the vaccination programme.

Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Plan For Malaysia : Both Doses Reserved

On 13 February 2021, Dr. Kalaiarasu Periasamy, the Director of the Institute of Clinical Research (ICR) announced the Malaysia Ministry of Health’s “One Dose Injected, One Dose Reserved” strategy.

Two doses will be reserved for each person, with the second dose administered 21 days after the first dose, as recommended by Pfizer and BioNTech.

The second dose for the Sinovac vaccine will be administered 14 days after the first dose.

The second dose for the AstraZeneca vaccine will be administered 12 weeks after the first dose.

When you arrive to a vaccination centre, you will be registered for both doses. You will be given a vaccination card, and registered in the MySejahtera app as well.

Malaysia COVID-19 Vaccine Plan : Path To 80% Coverage

Malaysia originally aimed to achieve vaccination coverage of 82.8% of the adult population, approximately 26.5 million people.

But in their 5 February 2021 update, the Ministry of Health now aim to immunise 25.6 million people – 80% of the adult population, or about 76.6% of the population.

If they succeed, this would put Malaysia somewhere between the minimum 70% and the ideal 80% immunisation targets that many scientists believe are necessary to achieve herd immunity against COVID-19.

Path To 80% COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage

This is what the COVID-19 vaccine supply will be like for the adult population in Malaysia :

46.4% will receive the COMIRNATY vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech
34.9% will receive the CoronaVac vaccine from Sinovac Biotech
9.3% will receive the AZD1222 vaccine from AstraZeneca-Oxford
9.3% will receive the Sputnik V vaccine from Gamaleya Research Institute.

Why So Many Vaccines?

According to KKM, they decided to purchase from different vaccine manufacturers to ensure a sufficient supply of vaccines.

We had earlier pointed out that it was impossible for any one, or two, or even three vaccine manufacturer to manufacture enough vaccines to vaccinate the entire world.

It only makes sense that Malaysia will need to purchase from multiple companies to receive enough doses to vaccinate its population.

The only problem with using six different vaccines? Healthcare workers and logistics will need to keep track and deal with different administration and storage requirements.

While it may be possible to avoid that by allocating different vaccines by location, it would make for poor optics and possibly poorer uptake of the vaccination program.

COVID-19 : How To Keep Safe!

Here are a few simple steps to stay safe from the SARS-CoV-2 virus :

Avoid suspected cases or disease hotspots, like hospitals, if possible!
Avoid public events and crowds
Keep our hands clean with soap or hand sanitiser
If you need to wear a surgical mask, make sure you put it on and remove it properly!

Revision History

2021-06-04 : Vaccine underdose, LDV syringe reading, vaccine dependent registration and removal, AstraZeneca vaccine, painkillers, many other changes

2021-04-28 : Vaccination process, joint vaccinations, AstraZeneca vaccine, other changes
2021-04-14 : Phase 2 vaccination updates, side effect reporting, vaccination appointments, private clinics + hospitals
2021-04-06 : Details of CanSino Convidecia vaccine. Manual registration at private and public clinics.
2021-03-30 : Phase 2 details, free + paid vaccines at private clinics and hospitals.
2021-03-25 : New vaccine purchases, vaccine injury fund, domestic helper registration.
2021-03-18 : My COVID-19 Vaccination Badge, dependent registration.
2021-02-12 : 5 ways to sign up for COVID-19 vaccination programme
2021-02-05 : KKM’s plan to immunise 25.6 million people in Malaysia.
2021-01-28 : CoronaVac and Sputnik V vaccine purchase.
2021-01-12 : Added the additional purchase of the Pfizer vaccine.
Originally posted @ 2020-12-31

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LDV Syringe : How To Read The Volume Correctly?

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Most COVID-19 vaccination programmes use LDV syringes to reduce vaccine wastage, but people are misreading them.

Find out why LDV syringes are being used, and how to read them properly!

LDV Syringe : What Is It?

Low dead volume (LDV) or low dead space (LDS) syringes and needles are specially designed to reduce wastage.

Most COVID-19 vaccination programmes are using these LDV / LDS syringes and needles to minimise vaccine wastage in each shot.

A normal syringe, for example, will have about 0.1 ml of fluid left after a full injection. A LDV syringe / needle can reduce that to just 0.003 ml!

These special syringes and needles allow a skilled healthcare worker to extract an extra dose or two from each vial of COVID-19 vaccine.

LDV Syringe : How To Read The Volume Correctly?

There have been a few cases where vaccine recipients have been given less than the recommended dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

In other cases, it is likely that the vaccine recipients misread the volume of LDV syringes, which are different from regular syringes.

To avoid such misunderstandings, healthcare workers are now asked to show the vaccine recipient the pre-filled syringes before vaccination, and the empty syringe after vaccination.

However, vaccine recipients must first understand how much COVID-19 vaccine should be in the syringe, and how to read the volume correctly!

How Much Volume For Each Vaccine Shot?

Different vaccines have different recommended volumes. Most vaccines are titrated with a recommended dose volume of 0.5 ml, but not Pfizer.

Vaccines	Dose Volume
Pfizer COMIRNATY	0.3 ml
AstraZeneca Vaxzevria	0.5 ml
Sinovac CoronaVac	0.5 ml

How To Read LDV Syringes

Low dead volume needles are used with regular syringes, and are read normally. So they are not a problem.

LDV syringes though, have a special long rubber plunger – the black part. Most people misread it by looking at the tip of this long plunger.

It should be read from the first ring of the LDV plunger, as the picture below shows.

If you are not aware of this, you would probably think the LDV syringe contained only 0.35 ml of vaccine. In reality, it contains 0.5 ml of the vaccine.

Don’t forget to also check the vial, to verify you are getting the right COVID-19 vaccine – to avoid potential mix-ups in vaccination centres that offer different COVID-19 vaccines.

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Can You Take Painkillers Before / After COVID-19 Vaccination?

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Should you take painkillers BEFORE or AFTER your COVID-19 vaccination?

Or is it true that painkillers can KILL YOU if you take it with your COVID-19 vaccine???

Find out what the FACTS really are!

COVID-19 Vaccination + Painkillers : What’s Going On?

Some people have been taking painkillers BEFORE getting their COVID-19 vaccine, to reduce the injection pain and side effects like fever and muscle ache.

On the other hand, other people are saying that painkillers are dangerous if taken after getting vaccinated against COVID-19.

Recently, an Indian doctor died after being injected with a painkiller, after she received her first dose of the AstraZeneca (Covishield) vaccine.

So is it safe to take painkillers before or after getting the COVID-19 vaccine?

Can You Take Painkillers Before / After COVID-19 Vaccination?

Here is the short TLDR answer :

You should NOT take painkillers BEFORE your COVID-19 vaccination, and if possible, try not to take painkillers after vaccination either.

However, if you feel really uncomfortable, you can take over-the-counter painkillers (preferably acetaminophen / paracetamol) with your doctor’s advice.

For those who wish to learn more about painkillers and COVID-19 vaccination, here are the facts…

Fact #1 : Fever + Muscle Pain From COVID-19 Vaccine Only Last A Few Days

Vaccines work by tricking your body into thinking that there is a real infection, triggering an immune response that causes “side effects” like injection site pain, fever and muscle aches.

These side effects are really your body’s natural immune response to any infection, and are therefore welcome signs that the vaccines are doing their jobs.

They also last only a few days, generally subsiding within the first 1-2 days. If they persist after a few days, you should seek medical attention.

Fact #2 : CDC Advises Against Painkillers Before COVID-19 Vaccination

The US CDC recently updated its guidance on March 16, 2021, to :

avoid taking painkillers BEFORE getting vaccinated against COVID-19
treat post-vaccination fever by drinking plenty of fluids and dressing lightly
treat pain and discomfort with a cool and wet washcloth, and using or exercising the arm
take over-the-counter painkillers after COVID-19 vaccination, with your doctor’s advice

Fact #3 : Painkillers Could Dampen COVID-19 Vaccine Efficacy

Research have shown that certain painkillers may dampen the body’s response to vaccines. One study even showed that NDAIDs reduce the body’s cytokine and antibody response to an actual COVID-19 infection.

According to Dr. Sankar Swaminathan, MD, the division chief of infectious diseases at the University of Utah Health :

“It is not recommended to take a pain reliever before getting a COVID-19 vaccine, as it may theoretically reduce your immune response to the vaccines.”

For maximum efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine, you should try to avoid taking any painkiller for the fever or muscle ache.

But you should not worry too much about the reduction in vaccine efficacy either. If you are feeling under the weather, it is fine to take over-the-counter painkillers with your doctor’s advice.

Fact #4 : Acetaminophen / Paracetamol Could Work Better

The CDC says that OTC painkillers like ibuprofen, acetaminophen (paracetamol), aspirin and antihistamines are safe to take after getting vaccinated.

If you want to be extra cautious, take acetaminophen or paracetamol – which are commonly known as Tylenol or Panadol or PCM.

Acetaminophen is the better choice, because it works differently from NSAIDs like ibuprofen, which a study on mice has suggested that it might lower production of antibodies.

The CDC itself recommends that pregnant women use acetaminophen (paracetamol) to treat post-vaccination fever.

Fact #5 : The Doctor Died From Anaphylactic Shock

The tragic death of Dr. Hari Harini was due to anaphylactic shock, likely from the painkiller – Diclofenac sodium, that her husband administered just hours before.

However, this incident has nothing to do with the COVID-19 vaccine she received, because :

severe anaphylaxis is a known, if rare, adverse reaction of Diclofenac sodium,
she started vomiting and fell unconscious within hours of receiving the injection.
the incident occurred a month after she received her first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The evidence therefore suggests that her death was due to the painkiller itself, and not the vaccine.

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Why Healthcare Workers Get Infected After Vaccination?

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Healthcare workers in Malaysia are getting infected with COVID-19, even after vaccination.

Find out what’s going on, and what these post-vaccination infections really mean!

Healthcare Workers Are Getting Infected After Vaccination

On 17 April 2021, the Malaysia Director-General of Health, Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah, announced that 182 healthcare workers have tested positive for COVID-19 after vaccination :

142 after receiving their first dose
40 after receiving their second dose
– 9 cases : more than 2 weeks after second dose
– 31 cases : less than 2 weeks after second dose

He noted that all of them had less severe symptoms, and reminded everyone to continue with 3C + 3W precautionary measures, even after vaccination :

Avoid the 3Cs – Crowded places, Close-contact settings, Confined and enclosed spaces
Practice the 3Ws – Wash hands frequently, Wear a face mask, Watch your distance

Why Healthcare Workers Get Infected After Vaccination?

After Dr. Hisham wrote about healthcare workers getting infected after vaccination, many people shared his post as evidence that the COVID-19 vaccines don’t work.

Nothing could be further from the truth. And here are the facts…

Fact #1 : Vaccines Are Not 100% Efficacious

COVID-19 vaccines are like training programmes for your immune system, giving it an opportunity to learn how to defeat the real SARS-CoV-2 virus.

They greatly protect you from severe disease and death, but that does not mean they will 100% protect you from getting infected.

The Pfizer COMIRNATY vaccine is 95% efficacious. That means approximately 0.05% of those who are fully vaccinated will still get COVID-19.

The Sinovac CoronaVac vaccine is 50.65% efficacious. That means approximately 0.49% of those who are fully vaccinated will still get COVID-19.

The numbers are not a typo. Read our explainer to learn more about what vaccine efficacy really means!

COVID-19 Vaccine	Efficacy	Breakthrough Rate
Pfizer Comirnaty	95.0%	0.05%
Sinovac CoronaVac	50.65%	0.4935%

Fact #2 : It Is Proof The Vaccines Are Working!

As of 15 April 2021, a total of 671,589 people received one or both doses of their COVID-19 vaccines. While we have no idea how many are healthcare workers, they are all frontline workers.

With an attack rate (risk) of approximately 1.0%, we would expect 6,716 of these frontliners to get infected with COVID-19, if they were not vaccinated.

Yet only 182 vaccinated healthcare workers ended up getting infected.

Assuming just half of those vaccinated are healthcare workers, that’s an infection rate of 0.054% – which almost exactly matches the expected vaccine breakthrough rate for the Pfizer COMIRNATY vaccine.

This is actually better than expected, since many of those infected were partially vaccinated, and healthcare workers generally have greater exposure to COVID-19.

On 19 April 2021, JKJAV revealed that there were only 9 infections out of 272,109 fully-vaccinated healthcare workers.

That works out to an incredibly low vaccine breakthrough rate of just 0.0033%, far below what we should expect!

Fact #3 : This Chart Shows The Vaccines Working!

This chart that Dr. Noor Hisham shared actually shows how effective the vaccines are. Out of 426 infected healthcare workers :

57% were not vaccinated
34% only received one dose
7% were infected less than 2 weeks after their second dose
2% were infected more than 2 weeks after their second dose

In other words, the vaccines will protect you, but you need to get both doses and you must protect yourself until your immune response hits its peak about two weeks after your second dose.

Fact #4 : Precautions Necessary Until Herd Immunity Achieved!

Herd immunity prevents vaccine breakthrough – vaccinated people getting infected – by breaking the transmission chain.

However, this is only possible when we achieve a high rate of vaccination – some 70%-80% of the population.

Until that happens, we must all practice the usual precautionary measures against COVID-19.

Chile, for example, has vaccinated some 40% of their population, and yet is in the throes of a massive surge in COVID-19 cases.

Fact #5 : The Vaccines Prevent Severe Disease + Death!

As Dr. Noor Hisham himself pointed out, all those who were vaccinated but got infected anyway, had less severe symptoms.

As we pointed out in our article on choosing the best COVID-19 vaccine, vaccine efficacy comparisons blind us to the fact that ALL approved vaccines will greatly protect us against death and severe disease.

Even the Sinovac CoronaVac, which is hardly the best vaccine in the market, is effective in preventing severe disease and death.

Recommended : Which COVID-19 Vaccine Should YOU Choose?

COVID-19 Vaccine	Protection Against
COVID-19 Vaccine	Symptomatic Infection	Severe Disease	Death
Pfizer Comirnaty	95.0%	100%	100%
Sinovac CoronaVac	50.65%	83.7%	100%

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Fact Check : China’s Guidelines For Sinovac Vaccine?

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There is considerable panic over China’s guidelines for the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine!

Find out what the Beijing Vaccine Prevention Center just issued, and what the FACTS really are!

Sinovac Vaccine Guidelines By Beijing Vaccine Prevention Center

There is considerable panic over Sinovac vaccine guidelines issued by the Beijing Vaccine Prevention Center.

Reposting China’s guidelines for Sinovac vaccination.
We should worry why our own government is not issuing these to the general public.

Original in Chinese (translated to English)

但各位網友為自己、為家人考慮接種科興疫苗時，應參考以下北京市防疫中心的指引。另外，溫馨提示：香港專家不建議中風人士接種疫苗。

Reminding all Netizens to consider the guidelines set by Beijing’s Vaccine Prevention Center before taking any vaccine, whether for your own sake or for your family.
A gentle reminder from Hong Kong Specialist: Those who suffer stroke is not advisable to take the vaccine.

北京市防疫中心提示接種科興疫苗的要求 :

Beijing City Vaccine Prevention Center list down the requirements for vaccination:

1. 惡性腫瘤病者不予接種。
Those with malignant tumor are not fit to be inoculated or vaccinated.

2. 有基礎疾病時如高血壓，糖尿病等藥物控制不好的，不予接種。
Those people taking maintenance pills for High Blood Pressure, Diabetes are not fit to vaccinate.

3. 精神類疾病者如抑鬱症不予接種。
Those qualify for mental health disorders like Depression and anxiety is not suitable to vaccinate.

4. 家族遺傳性疾病如白化病，不予接種。
Those with hereditary diseases like Albinism are not suitable to vaccinate.

5. 心腦血管疾病不穩定，不予接種。
Those with unstable Cardiovascular diseases are not suitable to inoculate.

6. 做過心臟手術時如心臟搭橋，不予接種。
Those underwent operation such as Coronary Bypass are not fit to vaccinate.

7. 大手術後恢復期，不予接種。
Those who are recovering from major surgery are not fit to inoculate.

8. 近三個月內使用過血液制品和免疫抑制者，不予接種。
Those who used Blood products and immunosupressive drugs for the last three months are not suitable to vaccinate.

9. 服用優甲樂的人，不予接種。
Those taking Euthyrox are not suitable to inoculate.

10. 被孕期婦女三到六個月，不予接種。
Pregnant women in their first to second trimester are not fit to vaccinate.

11. 長期服用免疫抑制劑者，不予接種。
Those taking long term immunosuppressive drugs are not fit to vaccinate.

12. 有中重度貧血者，不予接種。
Those suffer from Moderate to severe anemia should not be inoculated.

13. 三個月內服用過抗病毒藥物抗過敏藥，抗生素的必須停藥，症狀消失，一到二週後方可接種。
Those taking antiviral and antibiotics drugs within three months time can be vaccinated only after one to two weeks of not taking the medicine provided that no symptoms persist.

14. 乙肝l和幽門螺旋杆菌抗病毒期間不予接種。
Those with Hepatitis B and Helicobacter Pylori can’t be vaccinated.

15. 高血壓控制穩定140/90以下才接種。
Those people with stable high blood pressure of 140/90 below can be vaccinated.

16. 流感禁忌的本苗都禁忌接種。
Those with root origin from Flu prevention are prohibited to inoculate.

17. 接種流感疫苗至9隔14天後才可接種。
Those people vaccinated with Flu virus can be inoculated after quarantine of 9-14 days.

China’s Guidelines For Sinovac Vaccine : The Facts!

We checked out the claims, and here is the sweet and short verdict – this is yet another piece of FAKE NEWS.

For those who want to understand more, here are the FACTS :

Fact #1 : Beijing Vaccine Prevention Center Does Not Exist

The Chinese term actually translates to Beijing Epidemic Prevention Center, which makes far more sense than a Vaccine Prevention Center.

But either way – there is no such institution called the Beijing Vaccine Prevention Center or the Beijing Epidemic Prevention Center (北京市防疫中心).

The closest candidate is the Beijing Center of Vaccine Clinical Evaluation (北京疫苗临床评价中心).

Fact #2 : Vaccine Guidelines Were Issued By China’s National Health Commission

On 29 March 2021, China’s health authorities issued their first official COVID-19 vaccination guidelines.

But they were not issued by some Beijing institute, but China’s National Health Commission.

Fact #3 : The Real Vaccine Guidelines Contradicts Fake List

Here is a summary of the key vaccine guidelines issued by the National Health Commission.

The four conditionally approved vaccines are safe for senior citizens aged 60 and above
Senior citizens aged 60 and above should get vaccinated
Booster shots are not recommended at this stage.
It is not recommended for those under the age of 18 to get vaccinated for now.
Vaccination should be completed using the same vaccine, and not mixed.
Under special circumstances, people can use a mix of vaccines to complete their vaccination.

They completely contradict the fake list that is circulating on WhatsApp and Facebook.

Photo Credit : News.cn

Fact #4 : Hong Kong Guidelines Contradict Fake List

The Hong Kong government noted in their 19 February 2021 interim recommendations on the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine that the only risk to look out for is an allergic reaction.

Allergic reactions may occur after administration of CoronaVac. Recipients of CoronaVac should be kept for observation and monitored for a minimum of 30 minutes. Persons with a history of allergies should consult your doctor or pharmacist for advice before you receive this vaccine. A second dose of the vaccine should not be given to those who have experienced an allergic reaction to the first dose of CoronaVac.

Fact #5 : Official Sinovac Guidelines Contradict Fake List

The Hong Kong government also provided the Sinovac CoronaVac vaccine’s package insert, whose list of contraindications contradict the fake list above :

People with history of allergic reaction to CoronaVac or other inactivated vaccine, or any component of CoronaVac (active or inactive ingredients, or any material used in the process).
Previous severe allergic reactions to the vaccine (e.g. acute anaphylaxis, angioedema, dyspnea, etc.)
People with severe neurological conditions (e.g. transverse myelitis, Guillain-Barre syndrome, demyelinating diseases, etc.)
Patients with uncontrolled severe chronic diseases;
Pregnant and lactating women.

It also lists conditions in which the vaccine should be administered with caution :

People aged 60 years and above (which China’s National Health Commission just approved – see Fact #3)
People with acute diseases, acute exacerbation of chronic diseases, severe chronic diseases, atopy and fever.
People with diabetes, history of convulsions, epilepsy, encephalopathy or mental illness, or with family history of such diseases.
People with thrombocytopenia or hemorrhagic diseases – the injection may cause bleeding.
People with impaired immune function, such as malignant tumour, nephrotic syndrome, AIDS.
People who require human immunoglobulin injection – there should be at least one month interval before vaccine administration.

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Which COVID-19 Vaccine Should YOU Choose?

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Now that there are several COVID-19 vaccine options, people are demanding for the right to choose.

But should you be given the option to choose, which COVID-19 vaccine should you choose?

2021-04-13 : Updated with new information.

Originally posted @ 2021-03-02

COVID-19 Vaccine : So Many To Choose From?

Several COVID-19 vaccine candidates successfully completed their Phase 3 trials, and have received EUA (Emergency Use Authorisation) from various countries.

Company	Brand Name	Other Name	EUA	Full
Pfizer-BioNTech	Comirnaty	BNT162b2	101	5
Oxford-AstraZeneca	AZD1222		101	1
Gamaleya Research Institute	Sputnik V	Gam-COVID-Vac	60	3
Moderna	mRNA-1273		40	2
Johnson & Johnson	Janssen COVID-19	Ad26.COV2.S	40	0
Sinopharm	BBIBP-CorV		38	4
Sinovac Biotech	CoronaVac		27	1
CanSino Biologics	Convidecia	Ad5-nCoV	5	1

Many countries ordered several vaccine candidates at the same time, because a single vaccine manufacturer cannot possibly provide enough vaccines to cover an entire population.

Malaysia, for instance, purchased five COVID-19 vaccine candidates :

31.9 million doses of COMIRNATY vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech
24 million doses of CoronaVac vaccine from Sinovac Biotech
6.4 million doses of AZD1222 vaccine from AstraZeneca-Oxford
6.4 million doses of Sputnik V vaccine from Gamaleya Research Institute
3.5 million doses of Convidecia vaccine from CanSino Biologics

However, with multiple COVID-19 vaccine types being deployed, it has given people the idea that they should have the right to pick and choose the vaccine.

So which should YOU choose?

COVID-19 Vaccine : Which Should YOU Choose?

Most countries will provide the COVID-19 vaccines FREE of charge, but the type of vaccine used will depend on what’s available – you are NOT allowed to pick and choose.

Even so, many people are demanding the right to pick and choose their COVID-19 vaccine. Some are demanding the right to pay for what they believe are the ‘superior’ vaccine.

But guess what…

The BEST vaccine you can take is the FIRST vaccine you can get, and COMPLETE.

Here are the reasons why…

Reason #1 : Early Protection Offers The Best Protection

Think of the COVID-19 pandemic as an alien invasion, and the vaccine as body armour that protects you against their attacks.

When you are under attack, do you put on the first body armour you find, or do you wait until you find the body armour you like the best?

Cpl. Daniel M. Greenwald survived this sniper shot thanks to his helmet!

The fact is – even “substandard” body armour will offer you FAR MORE protection than no body armour at all!

After all, you could end up getting killed by COVID-19, before your preferred body armour arrives. What’s the point of getting the vaccine you want if you are already infected or dead?

Don’t believe us? A team of scientists actually did a study on this, concluding that “waiting for a vaccine with a higher efficacy results in additional hospitalizations and costs over the course of the pandemic“.

Reason #2 : All Approved Vaccines Protect You Against Severe Disease + Death

Regulatory bodies around the world set a minimum threshold of 50% efficacy against symptomatic infection for the approval of any COVID-19 vaccine.

However, that has confused people into thinking that the authorities are taking shortcuts in giving us vaccines that barely work.

Come on – 50% efficacy? That’s like rolling the dice at the roulette table, right? That’s really NOT the case.

We prepared this table to show you how misleading efficacy rates are.

COVID-19 Vaccine	Protection Against
COVID-19 Vaccine	Symptomatic Infection	Severe Disease	Death
Pfizer Comirnaty	95.0%	100%	100%
Moderna mRNA-1273	94.1%	100%	100%
Gamaleya Sputnik V	91.6%	100%	100%
AstraZeneca AZD1222	76% ~ 85%	100%	100%
Novavax Covovax	60 ~ 89%	100%	100%
CanSino Convidecia	65.7%	90.98%	100%
Sinopharm BBIBP-CorV	79% ~ 86%	90%	100%
J&J Janssen COVID-19	66.0%	85%	100%
Sinovac CoronaVac	50.65%	83.7%	100%

The truth is all approved vaccines will protect you against severe disease, and prevent you from dying from COVID-19.

It would be really nice if you get a vaccine that protects you against even mild COVID-19, but not getting killed by it sounds pretty awesome to us!

Reason #3 : Vaccines Are In Limited Supply

COVID-19 vaccines are in limited supply, and there does not appear to be enough to vaccinate most countries until well into 2022.

Therefore, the possibility of vaccines being made available for private sale that you can pick and choose is remote, at least until 2022.

This is a pandemic – a global health crisis. The lives of trillions of people around the world come before your “right to choose”.

COVID-19 Vaccine : Don’t Choose. Get Yours ASAP!

It really does NOT matter which COVID-19 vaccine you get.

As long as it is an approved vaccine and you complete the dosing requirement, it will prevent you from getting severe COVID-19, or dying from it.

Instead of waiting for a particular COVID-19 vaccine, get the first one offered to you.

Don’t worry, when COVID-19 vaccines are available for sale, you can choose whichever vaccine you want and re-vaccinate yourself to your heart’s content!

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Private Hospitals + Clinics To Administer COVID-19 Vaccines!

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Private hospitals will join private clinics in administering the free COVID-19 vaccines in Malaysia!

Here are the details of this new development!

Private Hospitals + Clinics To Administer COVID-19 Vaccines!

On 12 April 2021, the Malaysia Minister of Health Dr. Adham Baba announced that private hospitals will join private clinics in administering the free COVID-19 vaccines in Malaysia!

Based on the principles of vaccine equity, the government will provide the vaccines to private hospitals for free, so they can help the country achieve the target of vaccinating 80% of the population.

At this time, there are 203 private hospitals across Malaysia. However, it is unknown how many will actually participate.

Private hospitals that want to participate in this programme can register with ProtectHealth Corporation Sdn Bhd starting today.

At the moment, 2,304 private clinics have signed up with ProtectHealth Corporation to take part in the COVID-19 vaccination programme.

All registered private hospitals and clinics will be given training and instructions on their scope of work, including guidelines and a complete manual on how to vaccinate their patients.

How Can Private Hospitals + Clinics Help With Vaccines?

On 5 February 2021, the Ministry of Health announced that they plan to immunise 25.6 million people – 80% of the adult population, or about 76.6% of the population.

If they succeed, this would put Malaysia somewhere between the minimum 70% and the ideal 80% immunisation targets that many scientists believe are necessary to achieve herd immunity against COVID-19.

Currently, the vaccination programme is extremely slow due to supply constraints. However, that will eventually change when more vaccines come in.

When that happens, private hospitals and clinics can make it easier and faster for people to get vaccinated.

It is important that this registration and training process starts now, instead of waiting until the vaccine supply is sufficient.

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Autism + Special Needs Q&A With Dr. Rajini Sarvananthan

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In support of Autism Awareness Month, we are sharing this exclusive Q&A session on autism and special needs with Dr. Rajini Sarvananthan!

May her knowledge and insight continue to help and inspire parents of children on the ASD spectrum, or with special needs!

Dr. Rajini Sarvananthan : Who Is She?

Dr. Rajini Sarvananthan is a Consultant Developmental Paediatrician at ParkCity Medical Centre and the Baby & Beyond Child Specialist Clinic.

She specialises in diagnosing and treating children with autism, ADHD, ADD, behavioural problems, cerebral palsy and other developmental disorders.

Her waiting list is as long as her professional credentials – MBBS HONS (UK), M MED Sc (Leeds, UK), MRCP (UK), MRCPCH (UK).

We were very fortunate to be able to invite her to a Q&A session with the parents of autistic and special needs children at the Bridges EIP Centre on the 5th of September 2015.

Sadly, we could not accommodate more parents for this talk. That’s why we recorded the entire session so that parents who could not make it for the event can benefit as well.

Dr. Rajini covered many topics, so we will not just provide you with the full video of the session. We have also prepared 18 smaller video clips that are specific to certain topics.

Autism + Special Needs Q&A with Dr. Rajini (Full)

For those who want to view the Autism And Special Needs Q&A session in its entirety, here is the full video. It is about 1 hour and 15 minutes long.

Autism + Special Needs with Dr. Rajini (Specific Topics)

Part 1 : Latest Treatments For Autism

Part 2 : Does ABA (Applied Behaviour Analysis) Work?

Part 3 : Should A Child Start ABA?

Part 4 : Occupational & Speech Therapies

Part 5 : iPad & YouTube As Therapy

Part 6 : Dealing With Giggling / Laughing Episodes

Part 7 : Don’t Focus On The Hours Spent On Therapy

Part 8 : Do Enrichment Classes Help?

Part 9 : Sensory Integration & Sibling Issues

Part 10 : More Sibling Issues

Part 11 : Handling Inappropriate Behaviour

Part 12 : Handling Temper Tantrums

Part 13 : Shopping Mall Woes

Part 14 : Dealing With Inferiority Complex

Part 15 : Dealing With Difficult Behaviour

Part 16 : Biomedical, Neurofeedback, Chlorine Dioxide & Diets

Part 17 : Vaccines For Children With Autism / Special Needs

Part 18 : Prognosis For Kids With Autism

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COVID-19 Vaccination Appointment : 48 Hours To Confirm!

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Those selected for COVID-19 vaccination in Malaysia will be given 48 hours to confirm their appointment.

Here is what you need to know about your COVID-19 vaccination appointment!

COVID-19 Vaccination Appointment : How Will You Be Notified?

The Special Committee on COVID-19 Vaccine Supply (JKJAV) said on 10 April 2021, that the vaccination appointments are being scheduled in batches.

Once you have been selected, you will receive a notification in MySejahtera, as well as an SMS to your mobile phone 14 days before the scheduled COVID-19 vaccination date.

The notification will inform you of the date and place of your COVID-19 vaccination appointment.

COVID-19 Vaccination Appointment : 48 Hours To Confirm!

According to a JKJAV tweet on 10 April 2021, you will have 48 hours to confirm your appointment in MySejahtera.

If you fail to respond within 48 hours, your appointment will be automatically cancelled and rescheduled to a later date.

You are strongly advised to confirm your appointment, to avoid any delay in getting your COVID-19 vaccination.

Once you accept the appointment, your MySejahtera will show your appointment for the first dose of your COVID-19 vaccine.

COVID-19 Vaccination Appointment : Can You Choose Your Vaccine?

No, you cannot choose your free COVID-19 vaccine.

On 8 April 2021, the Malaysia Ministry of Health once again reiterated that you will NOT be given the option to choose the COVID-19 vaccine.

The free COVID-19 vaccine will be administered according to what is available at the vaccination centre.

We should point out that there is really NO REASON to choose any COVID-19 vaccine – they will ALL prevent death and hospitalisation from COVID-19!

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Two Doctors Share Their COVID-19 Vaccination Experiences!

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We spoke to two doctors, who agreed to share about their recent COVID-19 vaccination experiences.

Find out how what they felt about the COVID-19 vaccination, and the side effects they experienced!

Two Doctors Share Their COVID-19 Vaccination Experiences!

Currently, the Malaysia COVID-19 Immunisation Programme uses both the Pfizer COMIRNATY and Sinovac CoronaVac vaccines

But whichever vaccine is provided, the vaccination process itself is rather similar and straightforward.

the first dose is injected into the deltoid muscle of the upper arm.
the second dose is injected after 14 days (Sinovac) or 21 days (Pfizer).

Many members of the public have expressed their concerns about the COVID-19 vaccination process, and any side effects they may experience.

So we spoke to two doctors, who agreed to share about their recent COVID-19 vaccination experiences.

They were both part of Phase 1 of the COVID-19 Immunisation Programme, and so received the Pfizer vaccine.

Dr. Jenny Lim (Institut Perubatan Respiratori)

Dr. Jenny Lim arrived at Hospital Kuala Lumpur for her first dose of the Pfizer vaccine at 12:15 PM, and was registered within 10 minutes, and given a waiting card.

She was vaccinated at 12:40 PM, and then asked to wait for 30 minutes – to ensure that there was no anaphylactic reaction to the vaccine, before leaving at 1:10 PM.

The whole process was pretty seamless, and took less than 1 hour, including the post-vaccination waiting time.

Dr. Lim detailed her post-vaccination side-effects, cautioning that some may be related to some heavy lifting she did at her hospital in the morning of her vaccination appointment :

Day 1

4 PM : 3/10 pain in the upper buttocks
6 PM : 3/10 neck pain
7:30 PM : neck pain increased to 4/10, took a tablet of Voltaren (Diclofenac)
9:30 PM : felt somnolent (sleepy)

Day 2

On waking up : 2/10 pain at the injection site, disappeared in 2-3 hours
No other symptoms

Verdict? Cannot wait for the second dose on 9 April 2021!

Dr. Lim says, please vaccinate yourself against COVID-19, so you won’t end up like our little friend here!

Dr. Lim Swee Siang (Klinik Lim S2)

Dr. Lim Swee Siang, a private practitioner in Seremban 2, was just vaccinated with his second dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

He arrived for his first dose at the Klinik Kesihatan Seremban 2 at 10:40 AM. Registration was very fast, and he was vaccinated by 10:55 AM.

He waited 30 minutes – a precautionary measure in case of an anaphylactic reaction to the vaccine – and then was given the green light to leave.

He experienced only minor side effects on the first day :

Day 1

Slight pain at the injection site. Didn’t take any medication for the pain.

Some somnolence for 1-2 hours.

Day 2

No symptoms

On 31 March 2021, he received his second dose of the Pfizer vaccine, and the symptoms were even milder this time :

Day 1

1/10 pain at the injection site. Didn’t take any medication.

This is Dr. Lim’s advice to everyone :

I urge those who are still not decided yet, those who are still in doubt about the vaccine safety profiles and those ‘wait and see’, please register now and get vaccinated later.

Malaysia COVID-19 Vaccination : How To Register?

There are FIVE (5) ways to register for free COVID-19 vaccination in Malaysia :

The MySejahtera app.
The Vaksin COVID website.
A telephone hotline.
Manually at health clinics, hospitals and private clinics
House-to-house registration at targeted rural areas for senior citizens.

Public registration program for Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the COVID-19 vaccine programme began on 1 March 2021.

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FREE + PAID Private COVID-19 Vaccines Coming Soon!

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Malaysia will soon make both FREE and PAID COVID-19 vaccines available at private clinics and hospitals!

Here are the latest updates on this issue, and our thoughts on private clinics and hospitals offering free and paid COVID-19 vaccines!

FREE Private COVID-19 Vaccines From 19 April Onwards!

On 29 March 2021, the Malaysia Science, Technology and Innovation Minister, Khairy Jamaluddin, announced that private GPs will be able to administer the free COVID-19 vaccines from 19 April 2021 onwards, as part of the Phase 2 rollout.

Registered general practitioners will be asked to provide an indicative list of their patients who want to be vaccinated at their clinics.

However, he did not expect the private GP option to really drive the free vaccination programme, because :

there are logistical challenges of getting certain vaccines – like the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine – from vaccine storage locations to their clinics.
general practitioners might be able to administer only dozens of shots per day.

We should point out that the current bottleneck for the COVID-19 vaccination programme in Malaysia is the shortage of vaccines, not a shortage of manpower.

PAID Private COVID-19 Vaccines Possibly In Q3 / Q4 2021!

The Association of Private Hospitals of Malaysia (APHM) has requested to run a parallel paid vaccination programme, to help achieve herd immunity.

Mr. Khairy, who said that he would hold discussions with private hospitals on the issue, said that this might only take place in the third or fourth quarter of 2021. There is, after all, a shortage of COVID-19 vaccines globally.

Our Opinion On Private COVID-19 Vaccination In Malaysia

Yes To Private GPs Helping With Vaccination

While vaccine supply is currently the bottleneck, it is important to co-opt private GPs into the free COVID-19 vaccination programme.

We need to start preparing for when vaccines become more readily available. We cannot wait until that happens, before we start bringing in the private GPs.

Private GPs will greatly expand the reach of the free vaccination programme, speeding it up while reducing the load on government hospitals and clinics.

No To Private Hospitals Buying COVID-19 Vaccines

A paid parallel vaccination programme this early could undercut the COVID-19 vaccination programme by :

offering the rich and wealthy the ability to cut queue over more vulnerable people,
exacerbating vaccine supply constraints by purchasing them at higher prices,
distort perception of certain vaccines, by offering the option to purchase “superior vaccines“
potentially wasting precious vaccine doses, as doses not purchased by customers for the day may have to be discarded

As supply of vaccines is limited globally, there is simply no logic in allowing private hospitals to purchase their own COVID-19 vaccines to sell for profit.

When it comes to manpower, it makes more sense to co-opt the tens of thousands private clinics across Malaysia, than the few hundred private hospitals.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a GLOBAL healthcare issue. The focus should be on vaccinating people as quickly as possible, so we can fully reopen our economy. Not on creating a new opportunity to profit off the pandemic.

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Malaysia COVID-19 Vaccination : Phase 2 Begins On 19 April!

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Malaysia will start with Phase 2 of the COVID-19 vaccination programme on 19 April 2021!

Here are the latest details of the COVID-19 vaccination programme in Malaysia!

Malaysia COVID-19 Vaccination : Phase 1 Finishing Up

On 29 March 2021, the Malaysia Science, Technology and Innovation Minister, Khairy Jamaluddin, said that Phase 1 of the COVID-19 vaccination programme was ending.

Originally, they aimed to vaccinate 500,175 people in Phase 1, but that was expanded to 647,398 people.

Awaiting vaccination : 66,633
First dose administered : 451,655
Both doses administered : 129,110

He said that the remaining participants in Phase 1 will receive their first dose in the next 2 weeks.

Malaysia COVID-19 Vaccination : Phase 2 Begins On 19 April!

According to the minister, Phase 2 of the COVID-19 vaccination programme will begin on 19 April 2021.

Phase 2 will focus on immunising 9.4 million high-risk adults, divided into two groups :

Group 1 : remaining healthcare workers and frontliners (including defence)
Group 2 : senior citizens 60 years or older, disabled adults, and vulnerable adults with chronic diseases, like heart disease, obesity, diabetes and hypertension

Those selected for Phase 2 – in particular, senior citizens, vulnerable adults and disabled adults – will be notified of their appointments as early as 5 April through :

MySejahtera
SMS
Phone call

All eligible recipients will get at least two weeks’ notice in advanced of their vaccination appointments.

Malaysia COVID-19 Vaccination : 8 States First In Phase 2

Phase 2 will kick off in these 8 states first :

Kedah
Penang
Pahang
Melaka
Terengganu
Sabah
Labuan
Sarawak

The other states will start Phase 2 vaccinations a few days later.

Register For Your COVID-19 Vaccination Today!

If you have not already done so, please register for your FREE COVID-19 vaccination through :

The MySejahtera app – a future update will introduce a button to register for an appointment.
The Vaksin COVID website.
The telephone hotline : 1800-888-828
Manually at health clinics, hospitals and private clinics
House-to-house registration at targeted rural areas for senior citizens.

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How To Register Your Maid For COVID-19 Vaccine!

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You can now register your maid / domestic helper for the free COVID-19 vaccine programme in Malaysia!

Find out how to register your maid / domestic helper for the free COVID-19 vaccine on MySejahtera!

You Can Now Register Your Maid For FREE COVID-19 Vaccine!

On 11 February 2021, the Malaysian government announced that the COVID-19 vaccine will be offered for FREE to all foreign residents in Malaysia.

This includes maids, domestic helpers, blue collar and white collar workers and even their spouses.

On 24 March 2021, the Malaysia Science, Technology and Innovation Minister, Khairy Jamaluddin, confirmed that you can start registering your maid as a dependent in MySejahtera :

Yes, foreign domestic helpers are eligible and can be registered as dependents under MySj. https://t.co/KatEhHLBRr

— Khairy Jamaluddin (@Khairykj) March 24, 2021

How To Register Your Maid For COVID-19 Vaccine!

Your maid is considered as a dependent, for the purpose of registering for the COVID-19 vaccine.

Here is our video guide on how to register for COVID-19 vaccination for your dependents using MySejahtera.

It’s the same process, whether you are using an Apple iPhone, or an Android smartphone.

Don’t worry about making mistakes. You can redo the registration, to correct for mistakes.

For those who prefer pictures and text, here is our step-by-step pictorial guide :

Make sure you update to MySejahtera 1.0.30 or later before you proceed.
Open MySejahtera.
Tap on the Close button on the upper right corner of the default Check-in screen.
You should see the MySejahtera main screen, and it should show you a new COVID-19 Vaccination option.

Tap on the COVID-19 Vaccination option and it will show you this information display.
Tap on the second option – Add Vaccine Dependent.

You will be shown a screen with your registered dependents.
If you did not add any dependents yet, you can do so by tapping on the Add Vaccination Dependent option at the bottom.
Otherwise, skip to Step 12.

Key in your maid’s details – Full name, Relationship with you, NRIC / Passport number, Age, Gender, Current Address and Post Code, and State.
Check the details and tap Save when you are done.

Your newly-added dependent will now appear in the list of dependents.

Tap on the Add as vaccine dependent option of the dependent you wish to register.
You will be asked to confirm that you have the authority to manage the vaccination process for your maid.
You are also asked to note that once this maid is registered to your MySejahtera account, she cannot be registered for the COVID-19 vaccine programme with a different MySejahtera account.
Tap on Yes, Proceed to proceed with the registration.

You will be asked to verify your maid’s name and Passport number; as well as confirm that she is over 18 years old.
Technically, it should state 18 years old and older, because the COVID-19 vaccine programme is open to those who are 18 years of age too.
If you notice any mistake, tap Edit to change the name and IC / Passport number.
Otherwise, tap the I confirm that my dependent is over 18 years old check box, and tap Submit.

You will be asked to answer four simple questions, to determine whether she should be classed under Phase 2 or Phase 3 of the COVID-19 Vaccination Program, as well as your location.
The address search option may not work. If that happens, tap on the Location finder to let MySejahtera use your GPS location.

Please BE HONEST in this assessment. It will, after all, be verified by the Ministry of Health.When it comes to Question no. 2 – Do you have any comorbities? – that refers to any medical condition you have that may put you at greater risk of dying from COVID-19.For your reference, this includes :
- Diabetes mellitus
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Heart disease
- Asthma
- Cancer
- Chronic lung disease
- Kidney disease
- Liver disease
- Stroke
- Low Immunity (Immunocompromised)
- Obesity
- Others

Once you are done, tap Submit, and your dependent will have a green checkmark next to it.
If you made any mistake, you can tap on Remove vaccine dependent, and begin the process all over again, from Step 12.

Then all you have to do is wait for the Malaysia Ministry of Health to contact you when it is your maid’s turn to be vaccinated against COVID-19!

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CoronaVac Vaccine By Sinovac : Your Questions Answered!

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China recently approved the CoronaVac vaccine for general use, and several countries around the world have purchased it.

In this article, we will answer your frequently asked questions about this Chinese-made vaccine!

Find out how the CoronaVac vaccine works, and how effective it really is against COVID-19!

CoronaVac Vaccine : What Is It?

Developed by Sinovac Life Sciences, CoronaVac is a 2-dose inactivated virus vaccine, where the second dose delivered 14 days after the first.

Unlike the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines, CoronaVac only needs to be refrigerated at 2–8 °C (36–46 °F), which makes it easy to distribute.

On 6 February 2021, China approved the CoronaVac vaccine for general use.

CoronaVac Vaccine : How Is It Created?

CoronaVac is an inactivated virus vaccine – which is an older method of creating vaccines.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus (CN02 strain) is cultured (grown) in African green monkey kidney cells, also known as Vero cells *.
After incubation, the virus is harvested and inactivated (killed) using β-propiolactone, a sterilising agent.
The inactivated virus are concentrated and purified, and then adsorbed (attached) onto aluminium hydroxide.
The aluminium hydroxide + virus complex is then diluted in phosphate-buffered saline (basically salt water with phosphate) to match the pH, osmolarity and ion concentration of the human body.
Finally, the vaccine solution is sterilised and filtered, before being filled into syringes or vials.

* This is why the Sinovac CoronaVac vaccine box is labelled “SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine (Vero Cell), Inactivated“.

CoronaVac Vaccine : What Does It Contain?

The CoronaVac vaccine can come in the form of a vial, or a pre-filled syringe. Both only require refrigeration at 2–8 °C (36–46 °F).

Each dose contains 600 SU (3 µg) of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 virus and aluminium hydroxide (as adjuvant) in 0.5 ml of phosphate-buffered saline.

CoronaVac Vaccine : How Does It Work?

The CoronaVac vaccine is injected intramuscularly in two separate doses, fourteen days apart.

Once injected, the antigens on the inactivated SARS-CoV-2 virus trigger the body’s immune system, just like the actual virus would.

However, the inactivated SARS-CoV-2 virus just floats around and doesn’t infect any cells. So the immune response it generates is much weaker than an actual COVID-19 infection.

That is why it uses aluminium hydroxide as an adjuvant, and a second vaccine shot is needed to further stimulate the immune response.

CoronaVac Vaccine : What Are Its Side Effects?

According to its Phase 1 trial results, volunteers reported only these side effects :

injection site pain
fatigue
muscle pain
headache

They were generally mild (grade 1 in severity), and the volunteers recovered within 48 hours.

Only one case of acute hypersensitivity with urticaria (hives) was recorded out of 24 volunteers who received the vaccine.

CoronaVac Vaccine : Can It Make You Speak Mandarin?

After Malaysia Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Khairy Jamaluddin, got vaccinated with the CoronaVac vaccine, he appeared in a video speaking about it in Mandarin.

People started joking that a side effect of the vaccine was that it teaches you to speak Mandarin. To be clear, speaking Mandarin is not a side effect of the vaccine, it is just a joke!

CoronaVac Vaccine : How Effective Is It?

The efficacy of the CoronaVac vaccine is a subject of some controversy…

Butantan Study Controversy

On 24 December 2020, the Butantan Institute in Brazil announced that the CoronaVac vaccine’s efficacy was “above 50%” – the minimum threshold for approval. However, Sinovac asked them to delay releasing their results.

On 7 January 2021, the Butantan Institute announced that the CoronaVac vaccine was 78% effective.

That was “corrected” on 12 January 2021, when they announced that the 78% efficacy rate was “calculated” based on mild, moderate and severe COVID-19 cases.

When they included “very mild cases”, the actual figure was 50.38% – often rounded up as 50.4%.

Out of 12,396 volunteers, 160 who got the placebo were infected, 128 who got the vaccine were infected.

Sinovac Explains Controversy

On 14 January 2021, Sinovac senior director, Yin Weidong, explained at a Beijing press conference that the reason why the CoronaVac’s efficacy was so low was because it was tested on healthcare workers.

He noted that the other vaccines were tested on mostly ordinary citizens with lower risks of infection, even though all vaccine studies include healthcare workers who are most at risk of being infected.

Sinovac Announces Phase 3 Trial Results

On 5 February 2021 – a day before China approved CoronaVac for general use – Sinovac announced the vaccine’s Phase 3 results from Brazil and Turkey.

Brazil Trial : 12,396 healthcare workers

50.65% efficacy against symptomatic disease
83.70% efficacy against symptomatic disease requiring medical treatment
100% efficacy against hospitalisation, severe or fatal cases

Turkey Trial : 1,322 participants

91.25% efficacy against symptomatic disease

The Turkey trial was far too small, and the Brazil trial results were tainted by accusations of data manipulation. The Sinovac furthered that perception by claiming a 83.7% efficacy against medical treatment.

While that may be accurate, it muddies the already murky water and confuses people regarding its true efficacy against symptomatic COVID-19 disease.

CoronaVac Vaccine : Should You Take It?

Yes, if approved by the health authority of your country, you should take it.

The CoronaVac may have lower efficacy than the Pfizer or Moderna mRNA vaccine, but it is still an effective vaccine.

The key thing you should note is that it has been proven to prevent severe or fatal COVID-19 disease.

And it offers about 84% protection against moderate to severe COVID-19 disease that requires medical treatment.

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MySejahtera : How To Register Dependents For Vaccine!

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MySejahtera now has a COVID-19 vaccine registration option for dependents, so you can sign up family members who do not have a smartphone!

Find out how to register your dependents for their FREE vaccine against COVID-19, using MySejahtera!

MySejahtera Adds Vaccine Registration For Dependents!

On 19 March 2021, the Malaysia Ministry of Health released MySejahtera 1.0.30 for iOS and Android devices, which adds COVID-19 vaccine registration option for dependents.

You can now register your dependents through the MySejahtera Vaccination Module!

Complete your own registration, and register your dependents who do not have their own smartphones into your app.

*Note: A dependent can only be tied to one MySejahtera account for vaccination registration purposes

However, please note that you can only register dependents who are 18 years or older for the COVID-19 vaccine programme.

Currently, vaccination is not being offered to those who are younger than 18 years of age.

MySejahtera : How To Register Dependents For Vaccine!

Here is our video guide on how to register for COVID-19 vaccination for your dependents using MySejahtera.

It’s the same process, whether you are using an Apple iPhone, or an Android smartphone.

Don’t worry about making mistakes. You can redo the registration, to correct for mistakes.

For those who prefer pictures and text, here is our step-by-step pictorial guide :

Make sure you update to MySejahtera 1.0.30 or later before you proceed.
Open MySejahtera.
Tap on the Close button on the upper right corner of the default Check-in screen.
You should see the MySejahtera main screen, and it should show you a new COVID-19 Vaccination option.

Tap on the COVID-19 Vaccination option and it will show you this information display.
Tap on the second option – Add Vaccine Dependent.

You will be shown a screen with your registered dependents.
If you did not add any dependents yet, you can do so by tapping on the Add Vaccination Dependent option at the bottom.
Otherwise, skip to Step 12.

Key in your dependent’s details – Full name, Relationship with you, NRIC / Passport number, Age, Gender, Current Address and Post Code, and State.
Check the details and tap Save when you are done.

Your newly-added dependent will now appear in the list of dependents.

Tap on the Add as vaccine dependent option of the dependent you wish to register.
You will be asked to confirm that you have the authority to manage the vaccination process for your dependent.
You are also asked to note that once this dependent is registered to your MySejahtera account, he/she cannot be registered for the COVID-19 vaccine programme with a different MySejahtera account.
Tap on Yes, Proceed to proceed with the registration.

You will be asked to verify your dependent’s name and MyKad / Passport number; as well as confirm that he/she is over 18 years old.
Technically, it should state 18 years old and older, because the COVID-19 vaccine programme is open to those who are 18 years of age too.
If you notice any mistake, tap Edit to change the name and IC / Passport number.
Otherwise, tap the I confirm that my dependent is over 18 years old check box, and tap Submit.

You will be asked to answer four simple questions, to determine whether your dependent should be classed under Phase 2 or Phase 3 of the COVID-19 Vaccination Program, as well as your location.
The address search option may not work. If that happens, tap on the Location finder to let MySejahtera use your GPS location.

Please BE HONEST in this assessment. It will, after all, be verified by the Ministry of Health.When it comes to Question no. 2 – Do you have any comorbities? – that refers to any medical condition you have that may put you at greater risk of dying from COVID-19.For your reference, this includes :
- Diabetes mellitus
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Heart disease
- Asthma
- Cancer
- Chronic lung disease
- Kidney disease
- Liver disease
- Stroke
- Low Immunity (Immunocompromised)
- Obesity
- Others

Once you are done, tap Submit, and your dependent will have a green checkmark next to it.
If you made any mistake, you can tap on Remove vaccine dependent, and begin the process all over again, from Step 12.

Then all you have to do is wait for the Malaysia Ministry of Health to contact you when it is your dependent’s turn to be vaccinated against COVID-19!

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My COVID-19 Vaccination Badge : First Look!

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Here is the first look at the My COVID-19 Vaccination Badge that will be given to everyone who completes their immunisation program!

My COVID-19 Vaccination Badge : First Look!

On 18 March 2021, Malaysia Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba showed off the My COVID-19 Vaccination Badge.

Those who successfully completed their COVID-19 vaccination will receive :

an electronic COVID-19 vaccination certificate in MySejahtera
a physical My COVID-19 Vaccination Badge

The My COVID-19 Vaccination Badge has an embedded security code, as well as these information printed :

Date of Issue
Certificate No. : This should match the electronic certificate in MySejahtera
Your Name
Vaccination Type (Brand) : Pfizer, Sinovac, etc
Lot : The vaccine lot number
Healthcare Site : Where you received the vaccine

Malaysia COVID-19 Vaccination : How To Register?

There are FIVE (5) ways to register for free COVID-19 vaccination in Malaysia :

The MySejahtera app.
The Vaksin COVID website.
A telephone hotline.
Manually at health clinics, hospitals and private clinics
House-to-house registration at targeted rural areas for senior citizens.

Public registration program for Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the COVID-19 vaccine programme began on 1 March 2021.

Malaysia COVID-19 Vaccination : Three Phases

The Malaysia COVID-19 vaccine program will kick off on 24 February 2021, with the arrival of the Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 vaccine, and last until February 2022.

Phase 1 : 24 February – April 2021

Phase 1 will involve immunising 500,000 front line workers, divided into two groups :

Group 1 : public and private healthcare workers
Group 2 : frontliners providing essential services and national defence (like teachers, the police, civil defence (RELA), firefighters, rescue workers, and the armed forces).

* Originally scheduled to start in first week of March, it was brought forward to 24 February 2021.

Phase 2 : April – August 2021

Phase 2 will focus on immunising 9.4 million high-risk adults, divided into two groups :

Group 1 : remaining healthcare workers and frontliners (including defence)
Group 2 : senior citizens 60 years or older, disabled adults, and vulnerable adults with chronic diseases, like heart disease, obesity, diabetes and hypertension

Phase 3 : May 2021 – February 2022

Phase 3 will make the COVID-19 vaccine available to the rest of the population :

adults 18 years or older
– prioritised from red zones > yellow zones > green zones

This may be the last phase, but it is the most critical phase to build herd immunity that will protect the rest of the population that cannot be vaccinated against COVID-19.

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Fact Check : Doctor’s Diary On Covaxin Side Effects?

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Is an Indian doctor’s diary and advice on the side effects of the Covaxin vaccine genuine?

Take a look at the viral post on Covaxin side effects, and what the FACTS really are!

Doctor’s Diary On Covaxin Side Effects : A Viral Sensation

An Indian doctor’s diary on the Covaxin vaccine’s side effects, and his advice on how to deal with them, has gone viral on social media…

What’s amazing is that it’s gone viral even in countries where the Covaxin vaccine, is not, and will likely never be available!

A doctor’s report from his diary on his own health after receiving Covaxin vaccination

(Save for your reference till vaccination is done)

Diary for 2 days

I got my self vaccinated today (25/01/2021) at 11:25 am, on the left upper side of the arm. I had no side effects till 10:30 pm.

I had my dinner at 8:00 pm and I was all fine till 10:30 pm with no side effects, I went to bed around the same time. At 11:30 pm, while I was still lying in the bed, pain started at the vaccination site, which wasn’t before. I had a slight chill and my temperature started rising, at 12:30 am. I measured my temperature and I was having 99.4*F. As expected, along with the temperature started the rest of the side effects. I had bodyache, warmness in my eyes, neck pain. Pain at the vaccination site became worse and I also had slight choking in my throat.

Throughout the night I was restless, could not sleep much, my temperature at 2:00 am was 100.4*F. I kept myself observing closely.

I was happy though, as all these side effects indicated that the vaccination was successful and my body is giving robust response.

26/01/2021

I slept around 4:00 am got up at 6:00 am, feeling drained, my temperature was again 100.4*F at 6:30 am. Throughout the day I had fever ranging between (99.7*F-100.2*F) body ache, pain at vaccination site, sore throat, mild cold. In the evening, around 6:30 pm, my temperature was 99.3*F, pain slightly reduced at the vaccination site, some relief was also observed in my sore throat.

I had my dinner at 8:30 pm and went to bed at 10:30 pm, before bedtime my temperature was 99.2*F.

27/01/2021

I woke up at 6:00 am, feeling quite well, body temperature was 98.7*F, pain at vaccination site grossly reduced, pain only felt when I press my vaccination site with my hands, sore throat, neck pain gone.

All these side effects were like having mini-Covid symptoms.

Importantly, the whole batch of the doctors who got vaccinated the same day kept on sharing their side effects within our group and about 80-90% of us had common side effects as mentioned above.

The other symptoms which my colleagues had.

1. Dizziness, at the time of administering the vaccination and afterwards as well.

2. Rise in blood pressure.

3. Nausea.

I am sharing with you the first-hand experience which we doctors had at the time and after vaccination. You all will be experiencing the same, whenever you get vaccinated, so do not get anxious, as you all now, know the side effects.

Better star this message till you get vaccinated, delete it, after vaccinated.

Q. What did I do to overcome the side effects of vaccination

1. I kept myself well hydrated, drank 3-4 litres of warm water, apart from warm water had hot soup 400 ml each time, 4 times a day. (Tomato, Carrot, Spinach & Ginger soup). Keeping oneself hydrated after vaccination is a Guru Mantra, to get well soon.

2. Meals-Dalia, Khichdi, Sooji, Salad, Papaya, Apple (peeled).

3. To wean off the side effects, one can take a paracetamol tablet, but I did not take one. I relied on my body’s defence/response.

Other important points

1. Please get vaccinated, whenever your turn comes. Do not skip your turn, otherwise you will have to wait for long. Do not put your work or any other engagements before vaccination.

2. There are two doses of vaccination with 28 days apart, after the second dose of vaccination you will be issued a certificate that you have been successfully vaccinated.

3. You will receive all the messages on your registered mobile number, the date and the time slot when are you going to be vaccinated.

4. Please do not wear any perfume on the day of vaccination.

5. Do not allow alcohol rub on your arm at the time of vaccination and after vaccination.

6. Please do not consume alcohol 10 days before and 10 days after the vaccination.

7. Individuals with high BP should monitor their BP regularly after vaccination.

8. Please remember, even after vaccination we all are expected to wear masks, maintain social distancing and wash hands.

I will receive my second dose whenever I receive message on my registered mobile number.

Aftermath of my vaccination experience closes here, as I am feeling better and back to normal.

Click to read more...

Fact Check Of Doctor’s Diary On Covaxin Side Effects

There’s no way to tell if the viral diary was actually written by a doctor, since it’s unsigned and not attributed to anyone. So we cannot verify his/her account.

However, we can fact-check a few interesting points, claims and advice in that viral account. Let’s see what the FACTS really are…

Fact #1 : India Uses The Metric System

Interestingly, the writer recorded his/her body temperature in Fahrenheit, instead of Celsius.

Like the vast majority of the world, India uses the metric system, and an actual Indian doctor would use Celsius.

Fahrenheit is only used in the United States, Belize, Palau, the Bahamas and the Cayman Islands – none of which has the Covaxin vaccine.

Fact #2 : The Writer Use Terms Doctors Generally Won’t

Generally, doctors will not use terms like vaccination site, temperature started rising, warmness in eyes, rise in blood pressure, or mini-Covid symptoms.

The proper terms, which normal people would have understood, would have been injection site, fever, hypertension or increased blood pressure, or COVID-like symptoms.

Fact #3 : How High Was Their Blood Pressure?

The writer claimed that his/her medical colleagues reported “rise in blood pressure”, without stating how much higher.

This is important, because a significant increase in blood pressure is defined as an increase in systolic blood pressure of greater than 20 mm Hg, or an increase in diastolic blood pressure of greater than 10 mm Hg.

If the writer is an actual doctor, and his colleagues only reported slightly elevated blood pressure, he/she should have written it off as irrelevant, or normal physiological variances.

Blood pressure can also temporarily increase for all sorts of perfectly normal reasons – smoking, caffeinated drinks, anxiety, or even mild exertion before the reading was taken.

A single elevated BP reading is not indicative of the blood pressure actually being high. In fact, blood pressure readings are only accurate if you follow these rules :

you did not drink a caffeinated beverage or smoke in the last 30 minutes.
you did not rest (sit quietly) for at least 5 minutes
you are seated with your arm rested, so that your elbow is about heart level
you did not talk during the measurement
there is a difference of less than 5 mm Hg between two readings taken consecutively.

Fact #4 : Dizziness During Injection

Dizziness during injection is not a side effect of the Covaxin vaccine, because it’s in the process of being injected into the body, and thus have no effect yet.

It is actually a symptom of vasovagal syncope – the same physiological response that caused Tiffany Dover to faint on TV after receiving an injection of the Pfizer BNT162b2 vaccine.

People with vasovagal syncope will feel dizzy or faint when exposed to certain triggers like pain, emotional stress, fear of needles or even just the sight of blood.

So it is not surprising if some people feel dizzy or faint after getting an injection, whether it’s of a COVID-19 vaccine or a placebo.

Fact #5 : Some Side Effects Are A Good Sign

The known Covaxin vaccine side effects include :

injection site pain, swelling, redness, itching
stiffness and weakness of the injection arm
body ache, headache
fever, malaise, weakness
rashes, nausea, vomiting

While side effects like allergic reaction, rashes and vomiting are obviously not good, other side effects are a good sign.

Vaccine “side effects” like fever and muscle ache are actually a sign that the vaccine is working, and your body’s immune system is kicking into action.

Remember – COVID-19 vaccines like Covaxin basically use the inactivated SARS-CoV-2 virus or its spike protein to train your body’s immune system to fight against the real virus.

So you should at least expect some symptoms of a real COVID-19 infection, as the body works to fight off the “fake infection” that the vaccine just delivered.

Fact #6 : Hydrate With Water, Period

Hydration is simple – drink water. It really doesn’t matter if it’s cold, hot, warm, lukewarm, or room temperature.

There is also no fixed rule on how much water to drink a day. It very much depends on the individual’s life and environment.

Someone who is physically exerting himself in a dry climate would naturally require more hydration than a rich socialite chilling out in the sauna.

Fact #7 : Hydration Has No Effect On Vaccines

Any doctor worth his/her salt would know that body maintains its biological equilibrium through homeostasis.

So additional hydration after vaccination will not have any effect. You will just piss it out.

Fact #8 : Perfume Isn’t Bad For Vaccination

This needs some context. It’s not wrong to smell nice when you meet people.

Some health authorities are advising people to avoid wearing scented products like perfume or cologne, as other people waiting for their vaccinations may be allergic to them.

Fact #8 : Alcohol Rub / Swab Is Fine

WHO recommends against swabbing the skin with alcohol before injecting the vaccine, consider it an unnecessary waste of time and money. So don’t be worried if the nurse or doctor skips this step.

However, there is nothing wrong if you let the nurse or doctor swab your skin with alcohol before injecting the vaccine.

No one swabs the skin with alcohol after an injection, so we have no idea why the writer would ask you to refrain from doing so.

Fact #9 : Alcohol Consumption Before / After Vaccination Is Fine

There is no evidence that alcohol consumption has any effect on any COVID-19 vaccine, so there is no rule against consuming alcohol before or after vaccination.

But it would be make sense not to drink alcohol before driving to the vaccination centre – which is both unsafe, and against the law.

Fact #10 : Hypertension Is Not A Side Effect

So far, no COVID-19 vaccine (Covaxin or otherwise) has listed hypertension – high blood pressure – as a side effect. So there is no need to monitor your blood pressure after vaccination.

If you already have hypertension, then you should monitor your blood pressure regularly… as you normally would.

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Official COVID-19 Vaccination Consent Form For Malaysia

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The official COVID-19 vaccination consent form in Malaysia has been released, and is available online and in the MySejahtera app.

All Vaccine Recipients Must Sign The COVID-19 Vaccination Consent Form

All recipients of the vaccine must sign the COVID-19 vaccination consent form, before they can be vaccinated at the hospital / clinic.

This was showcased when the Malaysian Prime Minister and the first group of healthcare frontliners received their COVID-19 vaccination.

The picture below shows the Malaysia Health Minister Dr. Adham Baba signing his COVID-19 vaccination consent form, before receiving his first shot of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

Recommended : First COVID-19 Vaccinations In Malaysia!

Malaysia COVID-19 Vaccination Consent Form : Where To Get It?

The official COVID-19 vaccination consent form for Malaysia is available both online (PDF format), as well as in the MySejahtera app.

Make sure you update to MySejahtera 1.0.28 or later before you proceed.
Open MySejahtera.
Tap on the Close button on the upper right corner of the default Check-in screen.
You should see the MySejahtera main screen, and it should show you a new COVID-19 Vaccination option.

Tap on the COVID-19 Vaccination option and it will show you this information display.
Tap on the third option – COVID-19 Vaccination Information.

Tap on the second option – Vaccine Consent Form.
It will open up the online consent form in your web browser

Malaysia COVID-19 Vaccination Consent Form : In English

Unfortunately, this consent form appears to be available only in Bahasa Malaysia, so here is our English translation of the consent form.

COVID-19 VACCINATION CONSENT FORM

The COVID-19 vaccine is administered to control the spread of COVID-19 in this country. When more people are vaccinated, more people will develop antibodies and subsequently reduce the risk of a serious COVID-19 infection. Indirectly, we can protect vulnerable groups that cannot be vaccinated.

The Special Meeting of the Muzakarah Committee of the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs that convened on 3 December 2020 has stipulated that the requirement for use of the Covid-19 vaccine is just, and must be taken by the groups identified by the government.

The COVID-19 vaccination requires one (1) or two (2) doses depending on the type of vaccine. This vaccine is usually injected into the shoulder muscles, except in certain circumstances. The type of vaccine that is given will depend on the vaccine supply at the time.

This COVID-19 vaccination could cause mild side effects and other side effects that will be reported from time to time.

HEALTH HISTORY (Please complete)

Have you :

a. Suffered severe side effects (such as seizures, fainting and hospitalisation) after receiving any immunisation
in the past?

b. Had any history of severe allergies?

c. Are you currently pregnant or planning to conceive? (for women)

d. Are you currently breast-feeding a baby? (for women)

I read / was informed about the COVID-19 vaccine information including the purpose and method of vaccination as stated in the COVID-19 Vaccine Information sheet for Vaccine Recipients.

With this, I understand that :

taking this COVID-19 vaccine may cause reactions and side effects as stated in the vaccine information;
I am responsible for the risks that could occur as a result of my decision / action because the benefit of the vaccine fair outweighs the side effects;
this vaccine does not fully guarantee that I will not be infected by COVID-19 in the future;
by signing this agreement to receive this COVID-19 vaccine, I willingly agree to finish the dosage requirements as scheduled.

I, _________________________________ MyKad / Police / Military Number __________________
* AGREE / DO NOT AGREE to receive the _______________ COVID-19 vaccination for * myself / * my parent / * my ward named __________________ MyKad / Police / Military Number __________________

Signature of beneficiary / heir Signature of Witness

Name : Name :
Identity Card Number : Identity Card Number :
Date : Date :

* cross out what is not relevant

Important note : For more information on the COVID-19 Vaccine, refer to the COVID-19 Vaccine Information sheet for Vaccine Recipients.

Thank you for your cooperation. Please return this form to the clinic.

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Fake COVID Vaccination With Syringe / Needle Switch?

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Did doctors fake COVID-19 vaccination on TV by switching the syringe or needle, so that politicians and dignitaries are not harmed by the dangerous vaccine?

Find out what’s going on, and what the FACTS really are!

Claim : Fake COVID Vaccination With Syringe / Needle Switch?

Right after the historic first COVID-19 vaccination in Malaysia, conspiracy theorists and anti-vaxxers immediately pounced on the video as evidence of fraud.

They are claiming that the Prime Minister of Malaysia did not actually get injected with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, and it was all just a show.

Their evidence? Screenshots showing that the nurse used a syringe with a blue needle to extract the vaccine, but the Prime Minister was injected with a syringe with an orange needle!

Suara Rakyat even posted about this, with helpful infographics, asking (with our English translation) :

Draw using BLUE syringe
Injected using AMBER syringe?
Hopefully, the government especially the MINISTER OF HEALTH MALAYSIA Adham Baba explains to the people and country, why there is a change in the syringe when the COVID-19 vaccine was injected into Muhyiddin (the Prime Minister).
Does the COVID-19 vaccine injection process in Malaysia really require two different syringes?

Sedut guna picagari BIRU,
Suntik pakai picagari AMBER ?
Harap pihak kerajaan terutamanya MENTERI KESIHATAN MALAYSIA Adham Baba jelaskan kpd rakyat & negara, kenapa ada perbezaan picagari semasa proses suntikan vaksin COVID-19 terhadap Muhyiddin?
Adakah proses suntikan vaksin COVID-19 di Malaysia mmg perlukan dua picagari yg berbeza?

Many people have expressed their confusion and curiosity to us, asking :

Is it true they switched the needle or syringe?
Why did they switch the syringe or needle?
What’s the difference between the two colours?
Was it just a show? A fake vaccination?

Let’s check out what the facts really are!

They Did NOT Fake COVID Vaccination With Needle / Syringe Switch

First, let us clearly state that there is no evidence they faked the COVID-19 vaccination with a needle or syringe switch.

Here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : It Is SOP To Switch Needles

It is standard operating procedure to switch needles during ANY vaccination.

A needle is used to draw the vaccine from the vial, and it is replaced with a different needle before the vaccine is injected.

Why? For a couple of reasons :

a larger bore needle can be used to better draw the vaccine from the vial
a smaller bore needle can be used to inject the vaccine with less pain
the first needle will be blunted when inserted into the vial, and will have residue on the tip
using a fresh needle to administer the vaccine ensures that the tip is sharp and residue-free, for less pain

The process was the same for the Prime Minister, as it was for the Director-General of Health and the other four people, who were the first to be vaccinated in Malaysia.

Fact #2 : A Fake Vaccination Would Not Require A Switch

If they wanted to fake the vaccination for show, they would not bother to switch the needles.

After all, the vial does not even need to contain the vaccine, just saline. It would have made for more compelling TV.

The very fact that they followed SOP to switch needles before administering the vaccine shows that this really isn’t a fake vaccination.

Fact #3 : Orange Is ISO Code For 25 Gauge Hypodermic Needle

Orange (or amber) is the ISO colour code for the 25 gauge hypodermic needle, while Blue is the ISO colour code for the 23 gauge hypodermic needle.

So the nurse was merely following the correct SOP of drawing the vaccine using the larger bore 23 G blue needle, and replacing it with the smaller bore 25 G orange needle to inject into the Prime Minister’s arm.

The colour code chart shared by Suara Rakyat is not of the ISO standard. It could be something manufacturers used prior to IOS standardisation, or for non-sterile / non-medical needles.

Fact #4 : 15 Gauge Needle Not Used For Intramuscular Injection

This is a picture of a 15 gauge arteriovenous fistula needle. Can you see just how large it is?

Not only does it look conspicuously much larger than the needle going into the Prime Minister’s arm, you can tell that it would have been a painful experience!

That’s why 15 gauge needles are NOT used for intramuscular injections. In fact, the most common needle used for intramuscular injections is the orange 25 gauge needle.

Such large bore needles are only used for dialysis or IV transfusions, to allow for high flow rates.

Fact #5 : Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Is Safe

The only reason to fake this vaccination is if the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is unsafe.

The REALITY is that, as of 25 February 2021, more than 218 million doses of this Comirnaty vaccine (codenamed BNT162b2) had been administered across 99 countries.

And it has been proven safe with inconsequential side effects for the vast majority of people.

So there is simply no reason for anyone to fake a vaccination with this particular COVID-19 vaccine.

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Malaysia Will Follow Pfizer Two-Dose Vaccine Schedule!

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The Malaysia Ministry of Health has officially announced that they will follow the two-dose vaccine schedule for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

Find out what this means for the vaccination of the Malaysian population against COVID-19!

Malaysia Will Follow Pfizer Two-Dose Vaccine Schedule

The first phase of the National COVID-19 Immunisation Program will kick off on 26 February 2021, with the the Pfizer BNT162b2 vaccine.

Two doses will be reserved for each person, with the second dose administered 21 days after the first dose, as recommended by Pfizer and BioNTech.

When you arrive to a vaccination centre, you will be registered for both doses. You will be given a vaccination card, and registered in the MySejahtera app as well.

This will ensure that you are guaranteed the second dose, and will receive it as scheduled.

Pfizer Vaccine Schedule : Two Dose Versus One Dose?

The “one dose” schedule for the Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 vaccine (also known as Cominarty) is a misnomer.

Whenever the media mentions administering a single dose of the Pfizer vaccine, they are actually referring to a delayed two-dose vaccine schedule.

The Pfizer Cominarty vaccine is a two-dose vaccine, that is given 21 days apart.

In clinical trials, the first dose was “calculated” to offer partial immunity with 89% efficacy after 15-21 days. The second dose boosts that to 92.6% a week later.

Based on that calculation, the UK Joint Committee on Vaccines and Immunisation approved a delayed second dose interval, stretching it from 3 weeks to “up to 12 weeks”.

Their reason – to vaccinate as many people as possible with the first dose, instead of reserving it as a second dose; so that more people will have at least partial immunity.

Only time will tell if their strategy works better than the approved two-dose schedule.

Pfizer : Please Follow Two-Dose Vaccine Schedule

Pfizer and BioNTech have insisted on the approved two-dose vaccine schedule, stating that :

The safety and efficacy of the vaccine has not been evaluated on different dosing schedules as the majority of trial participants received the second dose within the window specified in the study design.

They also pointed out that there is “no data to demonstrate that protection after the first dose is sustained after 21 days“.

This does not mean that a single dose of the Pfizer Cominarty vaccine is useless after 21 days. It merely means more research is needed to determine how long the second dose can be delayed.

The second dose does more than just boost the efficacy of the vaccine to 95%, it also triggers the Memory B cells to “remember” the COVID-19 antigen, to offer lasting protection.

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MCO 2.0 Updates For Night Markets + Businesses

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There have been some updates to the MCO 2.0 SOP, allowing night markets and timber operations, and extending business hours!

MCO 2.0 Updates For Businesses

On 28 January 2021, the Malaysia National Security Council (MKN) announced the extension of business hours and timber operations.

From 29 January 2021 onwards, all permitted retail and service businesses will be allowed to open from 6 AM until 10 PM.

Supermarkets and shopping malls
Groceries and convenience stores
Pharmacies
Veterinarian clinics and pet food stores
Laundromats and optical stores
Petrol stations

The government is also allowing logging operations to resume from 29 January 2021 onwards, as well as all timber-related businesses.

MCO 2.0 Updates For Night Markets

MKN also introduced changes to the MCO 2.0 SOP on 27 January 2021, allowing night markets to open from 4 PM until 10 PM.

Needless to say, sellers and visitors at these night markets will have to register with MySejahtera, and follow the SOP to protect themselves, namely :

wear a face mask at all times
maintain physical distancing of 1-2 metres
maintain good hand hygiene

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Fact Check : Did This Man Break His Home Quarantine?

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Did this man with a pink wristband break his COVID-19 quarantine at a private clinic, and put other people at risk.

Find out what happened, and what the FACTS really are!

Did This Man Break His Home Quarantine?

Yesterday, a concerned citizen posted a photo and a video of a man wearing a pink COVID-19 wristband, suggesting that he was breaking his mandatory home quarantine.

He was at a private clinic in a Mutiara Damansara mall when the man walked in. When he spotted the pink wristband, he took a photo and a video of the man.

He then reported the matter to the mall security, before posting the photo and video on Facebook.

The post naturally went viral, with many people condemning the man and some even threatening violence.

The New Straits Times even picked it up, and posted about it. Oddly enough – they did not even call the clinic in question to verify the story.

Did This Man Break His Home Quarantine? No!

While it may appear as the man was breaking his COVID-19 home quarantine, that is completely UNTRUE, and here are the facts!

Fact #1 : The Man Had Already Tested Negative Once

Like everyone who returned from abroad, the man had already undergone a mandatory antigen rapid test.

He was only allowed to return home for his 14-day home quarantine, after testing negative.

Fact #2 : The Man Was Getting His Day 13 Antibody Test

The man with the pink wristband was following Malaysia Ministry of Health’s SOP – to undertake his mandatory COVID-19 antibody test on the 13th day of his home quarantine.

Only after his Day 13 antibody test is negative, can his wristband be removed by the District Health Office, and his home quarantine officially discharged.

Fact #3 : The Man Was Asymptomatic During His Quarantine

Even though he was still officially within the 14-day home quarantine period, he was asymptomatic.

Everyone on home quarantine is checked on a daily basis, and will be taken to the hospital if they become symptomatic.

Only those who are asymptomatic (and therefore likely to be free from COVID-19) will be allowed to go to specially-certified government or private clinics for their Day 13 Antibody Test.

Fact #4 : The Clinic Was Specially Certified For COVID-19 RTK Ab Tests

The doctor was specially trained and certified to test asymptomatic returnees using the COVID-19 antibody rapid test kits.

Both the clinic and the man followed MOH guidelines, taking the necessary precautions like wearing face masks.

At no point was anyone placed at risk during this, or the many COVID-19 tests, performed at this clinic.

Fact #5 : The Doctor Personally Clarified The Case

The doctor personally called and explained the facts to the man who posted the photo and video, but he declined to remove his post.

The doctor then posted this statement in response to his Facebook post (now removed) :

Hi I am the doctor in charge of Klinik XXXXXX, the above person in your post visited my clinic for his day 13 post quarantine Covid 19 Ab test.

The patient followed all the necessary SOP as required by the Health Ministry. Both patient and clinic took all the precautions before he came to the clinic.

He would only be allowed to our premises if he had no symptoms.

Our clinic is one of the authorised clinics to perform the Covid Ab test for Day 13 quarantine in collaboration with Ministry of Health for patients who were tested NEGATIVE and have not displayed any symptoms suggesting an infection.

It would have been wise of Mr XXXXXX to clarify any doubts he may have had with the patient or the clinic before posting it on Facebook. This would have avoided any embarrassment to all involved.

The clinic itself would have reported if anyone was flouting the law. We take such matters seriously and the government has procedures in place before such patients come to the clinic.

I hope this response is adequate to clarify the above posting.

Incidentally, he tested negative in the Day 13 Ab test – his second negative COVID-19 test.

But New Straits Times Posted About It…

It appears that the New Straits Times posted their story without verifying the facts with the clinic in question.

As of 10 AM this morning, no one from NST called the clinic. Perhaps they would do so later today…

If anyone from NST is reading this, we would like to point out another error – the clinic isn’t inside a supermarket.

COVID-19 : How To Keep Safe!

Here are a few simple steps to stay safe from COVID-19 :

Stay at home or shelter in place
Keep your hands clean with soap or hand sanitiser
Keep your home, office, vehicle, etc. clean
If you must go out, maintain a social distance of 6 feet (2 metres)
Wear a surgical mask and make sure you put it on and remove it properly!
Wash your food with water (and soap) after purchase and before preparation

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Kaspersky Lab Finds Security Weaknesses in Clinic IT

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25 March 2016 – A Kaspersky Lab Global Research & Analysis Team (GReAT) expert has conducted real field research at one private clinic in an attempt to explore its security weaknesses and how to address them. Vulnerabilities were found in medical devices that opened a door for cybercriminals to access the personal data of patients, as well as their physical well-being.

A modern clinic is a complicated system. It has sophisticated medical devices that comprise fully functional computers with an operating system and applications installed on them. Doctors rely on computers, and all information is stored in a digital format. In addition, all healthcare technologies are connected to the Internet.

So, it comes as no surprise that both medical devices and hospital IT infrastructure have previously been targeted by hackers. The most recent examples of such incidents are ransomware attacks against hospitals in the US and Canada. But a massive malicious attack is only one way in which criminals could exploit the IT infrastructure of a modern hospital.

Clinics store personal information about their patients. They also own and use very expensive, hard to fix and replace equipment, which makes them a potentially valuable target for extortion and data theft.

The outcome of a successful cyberattack against a medical organization could differ in detail but will always be dangerous. It could involve the following:

The felonious use of personal patient data: the resale of information to third parties or demanding the clinic pay a ransom to get back sensitive information about patients;
The intentional falsification of patient results or diagnoses;
Medical equipment damage may cause both physical damage to patients and huge financial losses to a clinic;
Negative impact on the reputation of a clinic.

Exposure to the Internet

The first thing that a Kaspersky Lab expert decided to explore, while conducting this research, was to understand how many medical devices around the globe are now connected to the Internet. Modern medical devices are fully-functional computers with an operating system and most of these have a communication channel to the Internet. By hacking them, criminals could interfere with their functionality.

A quick look over the Shodan search engine for Internet-connected devices showed hundreds of devices – from MRI scanners, to cardiology equipment, radioactive medical equipment and other related devices are registered there. This discovery leads to worrisome conclusions – some of these devices still work on old operational systems such as Windows XP, with unpatched vulnerabilities, and some even use default passwords that can be easily found in public manuals.

Using these vulnerabilities criminals could access a device interface and potentially affect the way it works.

Inside clinic’s local network

The above mentioned scenario was one of the ways in which cybercriminals could get access to the clinic’s critical infrastructure. But the most obvious and logical way is to try to attack its local network. And here we go: during the research a vulnerability was found in the clinic’s Wi-Fi connection. Through a weak communications protocol access to the local network was gained.

Exploring the local clinic’s network, the Kaspersky Lab expert found some medical equipment that was previously found on Shodan. This time however, to get access to the equipment one didn’t need any password at all – because the local network was a trusted network for medical equipment applications and users. This is how a cybercriminal can gain access to a medical device.

Further exploring the network, the Kaspersky Lab expert discovered a new vulnerability in a medical device application. A command shell was implemented in the user’s interface that could give cybercriminals access to personal patient information, including their clinical history and information about medical analysis, as well as their addresses and ID details. Moreover, through this vulnerability the whole device controlled with this application could be compromised. For example, among these devices could be MRI scanners, cardiology equipment, radioactive and surgical equipment.

Firstly, criminals could alter the way the device works and cause physical damage to the patients. Secondly, criminals could damage the device itself at immense cost to the hospital.

“Clinics are no longer only doctors and medical equipment, but IT services too. The work of a clinic’s internal security services affects the safety of patient data and the functionality of its devices. Medical software and equipment engineers put a lot of effort into creating a useful medical device that will save and protect human life, but they sometimes completely forget about protecting it from unauthorized external access. When it comes to new technologies, safety issues should be addressed at the first stage of the research and development (R&D) process.

IT security companies could help at this stage to address safety issues”, mentions Sergey Lozhkin, senior researcher at Kaspersky Lab’s GReAT.

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Kaspersky Lab experts recommend implementing the following measures to protect clinics from unauthorized access:

Use strong passwords to protect all external connection points;
Update IT security policies, develop on time patch management and vulnerability assessments;
Protect medical equipment applications in the local network with passwords in case of an unauthorized access to the trusted area;
Protect infrastructure from threats like malware and hacking attacks with a reliable security solution;
Backup critical information regularly and keep a backup copy offline.

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Claim : Ivermectin Dose + Protocol By Dr. Amir Farid

Fact Check : Ivermectin Dose + Protocol By Dr. Amir Farid?

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Malaysia : +3 Million Sinovac Doses By End Of July!

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Earlier : Avoid COVID-19 Vaccine Within 2 Weeks Of Other Vaccines

Now : COVID-19 Vaccine Can Be Administered With Other Vaccines!

COVID-19 Vaccine + Other Vaccines On The Same Day?

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KL + Selangor EMCO 3.0 SOP : Starts On 3 July 2021!

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EMCO U-Turn : Up To 3 Per Car For Vaccination / Treatment!

Selected EMCO 3.0 SOP For KL + Selangor!

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COVID-19 : How To Keep Safe!

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