‘It appears that vaccine hesitancy is due to lack of information and trust. Despite the government's assurances about Covid-19 vaccines, which include repeated television announcements by Special Adviser to the Prime Minister on Public Health Tan Sri Dr Jemilah Mahmood, many people are still hesitant to get inoculated, with some cynically telling their friends and relatives: "It's not that I don't trust the vaccines, but let's wait and see what happens to the people who will get their shots first."
‘Since efforts to build trust in public institutions, such as the Health Ministry, have been made, we need more sound bites, including building a more credible perception of the vaccines' safety and effectiveness. Hence it is good to ensure that politicians from both sides of the divide, officials and prominent figures, are among the first to be vaccinated. Leading by example, the prime minister would be among the first to be immunised when the National Immunisation Plan gets underway by the end of this month.
‘The authorities must boost public awareness of vaccine development and production, as well as their importance during a pandemic, and at the same, debunk myths. They must explain that the vaccines will not make the virus disappear since it is already too wide spread. They should also tell the public that the vaccines could prevent its spread and reduce its severity.’
Read here (New Straits Times, Feb 7, 2021)
