YOURSAY | Time to ‘kitajagakita’, we’ve the right to videotape our vaccination

YOURSAY | ‘This doubt is the last thing the country needs - did I really get vaccinated?’

Empty Covid-19 vaccine shots: CITF says action taken against one, probing two more

LimeGoose1712: Vaccine recipients come from all walks of life. If anyone has read about this piece of news (about ‘blank’ shots and underdosing) and is more cautious when it's his/her turn to get a jab, then good for that person.

But chances are, there are a huge number of people who are either not aware of this issue or who just can't be observant enough during the injection process for various reasons. Maybe the person isn't well informed about his/her right; maybe the person has aichmophobia; maybe it’s an Alzheimer patient whose carer is barred from accompanying him/her (I knew of at least one case).

The Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) can't just take a reactive action to "urge recipients to report any fraud" because that's simply impractical.

This is a matter of a serious loophole, and the best way to overcome is through prevention instead of compensation.

There are many actions CITF can take, such as video recording, a third personnel as an observer, stringent stock count and auditing, passing off the empty syringes/vials through an additional process, and so on.

There are pros and cons to any method. We can't have a perfect solution but the point is to always be proactive and stay ahead of these alleged syndicates at all times.

I wish to have my full trust in all my fellow Malaysians but as corruption and an attitude of selfishness is still rampant when something involves money, it's best we stay cynical.

Bluemountains: The three cases of empty shots discovered could be just the tip of the iceberg. There could be tens of thousands of people happily thinking that they have been fully vaccinated when in fact they are not. These people are at risk of dying if infected.

The government should urgently conduct a test to determine if such people have antibodies expected in a person who is deemed to have been fully vaccinated.

The injecting of blank shots by health workers cannot happen if there is tight security and a thorough audit of the vaccines.

Some health workers are probably saving some vaccines to be smuggled out and sold to some interested buyers. If the above is true, the police investigations must be extended to include the buyers of such smuggled-out vaccines.

Malaysia Bharu: Two or three complaints being lodged and investigated? Wouldn't this be the tip of the iceberg considering the millions being vaccinated? How widespread is this?

My vaccine centre was a private hospital. I was herded into a tiny room with two nurses inside. While I was being injected, my daughter who had come along to observe the process was called away by the other nurse to fill up a form.

My request to videotape the injection was turned down by the injecting nurse. Neither did she show me the syringe before or after injecting. So, both of us came out without knowing whether the vaccination was genuine.

In light of the complaints arising, how are we sure that we have been vaccinated? In fact, when the first complaint arose in May, we were told that we can videotape the process. But in reality, this is not being allowed by certain vaccination centres. How are we to know that we are not being short-changed for the profiteering of some?

RedWolf4463: If true, this is a heinous crime of the highest degree.

The police and the Health Ministry should investigate this and find out the alleged masterminds behind this. They should interrogate the guilty nurses administering the jabs until they disclose the syndicates behind this. Perpetrators must be punished severely.

I didn’t feel any pain during my first jab and there were no side effects. I was looking for the injection spot on my arm but couldn’t find any clear indication or evidence that there had been one.

So how many are actually vaccinated despite the claims of numbers? There should have been proper audit of spent or empty bottles against numbers of vaccinations. Establishing proper controls and procedures is essential to restoring public confidence in the system.

Quo Vadis: Indeed, it’s a heinous crime. The victim will go away convinced that he or she is protected when in fact it is not the case. The victim is placed in a situation where others could become infected unknowingly.

This is a matter of life and death. The credibility of the government is at stake and the confidence in its vaccination programme severely compromised and shaken beyond belief.

The culprit should be jailed and given the opportunity to repent for what in reality is a crime against humanity. There should be a deterrent against anyone else tempted to do likewise for any reason, copper coins or not.

GooseNBanter: "Disciplinary action has been taken against the vaccination personnel," it said in a statement. What disciplinary action?

Suspend her, make a police report. Investigate if there is an external or even internal syndicate racketeering the vaccines for profit. Then let the public know how it was handled so that you alleviate the anxiety of those who are yet to receive their shots. It’s a mystery now.

The rakyat’s lives are put at risk and all you can tell us is "Disciplinary action has been taken against the vaccination personnel"? This is why it keeps happening over and over again.

Vijay47: I had my first dose about six weeks ago and the second dose will be in about three weeks. I hardly had any side-effect, all was fine, and that would have been that. Except that my imagination is now running into overdrive.

Yes, I felt the prick of the needle going in but did the nurse actually push the plunger in? Did I see it? Everything has become questionable. Did I really get vaccinated? And multiply me by about a million or two.

And I simply cannot understand the logistics of the fake jabs. Is the vaccine being collected? How? Where is it being sent to? Crooked doctors? Does the vaccine not have to be kept and transported in refrigerated conditions?

How will the doctor sell his service? Won’t word get around that Dr So and So is offering vaccination? Won’t the Health Ministry or Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) not investigate where he got his stock from?

My final question - is there any test that would show I was indeed vaccinated? The body would have some evidence of it, yes? Some antibodies or something?

This doubt is the last thing the country needs. Did I really get vaccinated?

Dr Suresh Kumar: You may take an antibody test; however, this test has to be antibody specific. Meaning, since these vaccines are targeting the Sars Cov-2 spike proteins, the test must look for antibodies to this particular protein, which can be tricky.

Nevertheless, if you have been infected with this virus naturally, then the test can detect the specific antibodies. This is probably the reason so far no one bothers to test for antibodies after the Covid-19 vaccination.

But who could have anticipated that some people will be pretending to be 'injecting' vaccines into you? (Note: One can't inject air into the body as it can cause air embolism that can lead to death).

Now, I have my serious doubt; even if the syringe is filled up, could it be just water?

Coward: The solution is quite simple: compulsory video recording - show the camcorder the syringe before, during and after injection.

All syringes are either still in protective seal or in syringe safe (special bin for used syringe). All empty bottles have to be accounted for.

Will we do it? No. Because if we do, there is no way for such hanky-panky stuff.

Camel Man: I have been to the vaccination centre more than six times for myself and family members and my parents. Each time the process has been excellent. Professional, polite and empathic.

I don’t think that these mistakes, serious though they are, are intentional. Perhaps it’s work overload - repetitive work, doing the same thing over and over again and having to stay pleasant.

The authorities should look into rest time and/or task rotation. It’s easy to blame the poor men and women putting themselves in the frontline for us. Easy, but not fair. We should appreciate them.

Din Tont: We do appreciate the frontliners’ contribution, especially those in ICU wards, but this cannot be an excuse for this type of wrongdoing as life is at stake.

If all other professions such as pilots and doctors have this type of mentality, there will be unending tragedies every day.

PS Tyndall: What is happening is a cause for worry. It does not seem like an isolated incident. Rather, it appears like something much bigger and sinister.

The matter should not be taken lightly. It has to be thoroughly investigated and acted upon by the authorities so that it is not repeated ever.

Otherwise, the public will lose trust and confidence in the government's ongoing vaccination campaign.

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