KUALA LUMPUR – Health personnel administering Covid-19 vaccines are now required to show recipients that the syringe is filled according to the recommended dosage, prior to inoculation.
Similarly, recipients must also be shown the empty syringe after the shot is given, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba said in a statement today.
This follows claims by several individuals that they did not receive the required 0.5ml dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
“The Health Ministry views this seriously. The ministry and ProtectHealth Corporation Sdn Bhd are investigating the matter.
“As a measure to ensure the quality of handling the AstraZeneca vaccine is at the optimal level, we have prescribed (these) additional directives in our SOP for all AstraZeneca vaccine handlers.”
Dr Adham said the improvements made to the SOP will be expanded to include other vaccination centres soon.
“The Health Ministry will ensure that the AstraZeneca voluntary opt-in programme is successful and safe for all Malaysians,” he said.
Dr Adham’s statement confirms a Malaysiakini report earlier today that medical personnel are now required to show the filled syringe to recipients before vaccination as well as the emptied case afterwards.
Previously, some who recently went for their first AstraZeneca vaccine jab claimed to receive less than the required 0.5ml dosage.
Videos were posted on Twitter of their vaccination shots, showing them receiving only about 0.1ml of the vaccine.
One individual said he was given an additional 0.4ml after lodging a complaint.
This has raised concerns that many more individuals could have faced similar issues, with checks on social media showing this may be the case.
If true, it raises concern that many Malaysians who have received the first jab may not enjoy full immunity benefits.
Thomson Hospital Kota Damansara head of emergency services Dr Mohamed Al-Hadi Mohamed Razhi had told The Vibes on Saturday that receiving less than the recommended dosage will reduce the vaccine’s efficacy. – The Vibes, May 24, 2021
Health personnel must now show vaccine recipients syringe before and after jab
This follows cases of possible underdosage by those getting AstraZeneca shots
Updated 5 years ago · Published on 24 May 2021 6:26PM
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