KUALA LUMPUR – The Covid-19 vaccination consent form which has gone viral on social media, is not the finalised version to be used in the national vaccination programme.
Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the finalised version will be distributed to eligible recipients soon, beginning with recipients listed in the first phase.
“Since Covid-19 vaccination is voluntary, the form is an important document to be filled in by the recipients to declare their consent to be voluntarily vaccinated.
“A consent form is also being used in other countries where people have to opt-in and sign the form to receive Covid-19 vaccination,” he said in a statement here today.
Dr Noor Hisham said the contents of the consent form are to ensure that vaccine recipients fully understand the benefits and risks of Covid-19 jabs.
As such, he also advised the public not to spread inaccurate information that could cause public anxiety.
The viral consent form, among others, stated that individuals who agree must understand that they are responsible for any possible risks and that the vaccine does not guarantee that the recipient will not be infected with Covid-19 in future.
Dr Noor Hisham explained that vaccines to be brought into the country will be evaluated in terms of quality, efficacy and safety by the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency.
He said reports from other countries which had implemented the vaccination programme indicated that the vaccine is safe.
Malaysia’s National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme is set to begin on February 26 with a target of having 80%, or 26 million of the population, to be vaccinated in three phases.
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is expected to arrive on Sunday. – Bernama, February 18, 2021
