WE are now into the first week of 2021. All of us have accepted the fact that the uninvited friend, the coronavirus, is here to stay for some time.
Covid-19 is a highly contagious respiratory disease, and was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. On January 30 last year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the Covid-19 outbreak a global health emergency. On March 11, WHO declared it a pandemic.
Everybody around the world, including me, is looking forward to the vaccine. The vaccine has been made available in China, the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, and many more countries.
A few million people have taken the vaccine to date. The vaccine is designed to create an antibody in our bodies, in the belief that this will protect us against Covid-19.
In Malaysia, there is very little information on how the vaccine will be made available to the public, thus the anxiety among Malaysians is slowly building up. The only information that you and I have (at the time of writing this article) is, by the first quarter of 2021, Malaysia will receive 1.7 million doses, with 5.8 million and 4.3 million doses to follow in subsequent quarters.
It was reported that Malaysia is buying the vaccine from AstraZeneca and Pfizer. There is also unconfirmed news that Malaysia might purchase the vaccine from China, too. The vaccination plan in Malaysia will kick-start next month.
I have so many questions regarding this so-called cure. For a start, what is the exact date on which I get the shot? Will my name make it on the vaccination list, or must I get the assistance of a VIP? And if something goes wrong after getting the jab, is it reversable? Can I choose which vaccine I want, since Malaysia is buying from more than one manufacturer?
I want to be well informed before the “syringe-happy” doctor decides to inject a “foreign object” into my body. I have been reading many claims about the vaccine, yet, I am unable to identify what is real or fake information. My friends, on the other hand, are prepared to take a leap of faith without an iota of doubt. “Don’t worry lah, the government knows what they are doing.” Really?
If any of my friends get vaccinated earlier than me, will they invite me to our regular coffee meets, or will I be excluded from the group? Once I get vaccinated, should I stop meeting my friends who have yet to be vaccinated, and only engage with them on digital platforms to ensure my safety?
A few days ago, I had an “aha” moment, where I seriously thought of designing an app similar to the popular dating platform Tinder. This app will allow users to decide who to accept as his/her friend, depending on the individual’s vaccination status. This will ensure users’ safety.
In my opinion, the fastest way to ensure all Malaysians are registered for vaccination is via an app or website. It should only be a three-step process; download the app, register for vaccination, and finally, get the vaccination date.
Elderly pakcik, makcik, uncles and aunties who are less tech-savvy might need the help of a customer service officer from a call centre to help them register, and inform them of their vaccination dates. I pray these officers have all the necessary answers, instead of “tak tahu lah”.
Well, while patiently waiting for my vaccine shot, I have decided to inhale hot steam twice a day for a good three to five minutes. A few alternative-treatment practitioners claim that steam inhalation can free you from the coronavirus. While waiting for the miracle vaccine, I will resort to this claimed traditional method. Psst…this method’s efficacy is not clinically or scientifically proven. – The Vibes, January 6, 2021
Nachiappan M.T. Arasu aka Nachi is a marketing professional with more than a decade of experience in radio, TV, telco, video-streaming service and start-ups in Malaysia and the Asean region. Marketing is his profession, while writing is his passion
