KUALA LUMPUR – Fully vaccinated individuals catching Covid-19 may be the reason for the country’s high caseload of late, said Beacon Hospital medical director Datuk Dr Mohamed Ibrahim Wahid.
He told The Vibes that immunised folk could be the source of new clusters.
“I think this is happening without us realising it. That’s why our numbers are soaring quickly, especially with the Delta variant. That’s why we need to vaccinate everyone as soon as possible.
No doubt that vaccination is protective, but you also have to see the hidden danger.”
He said healthcare workers can still get infected following vaccination, but may not be aware of it due to their mild symptoms.
“They can infect other unvaccinated colleagues or patients, who can then have a full-blown Covid-19 infection,” said Dr Ibrahim, who has been a consultant clinical oncologist for over 17 years and is former Malaysian Oncological Society president.
Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah previously spoke about healthcare personnel who contracted the coronavirus after getting vaccinated.
The latest data from periodic testing showed a total of 3,106 such workers returning positive results after receiving both doses, with almost all in Categories 1 (asymptomatic) and 2 (mild symptoms).
There were just three cases (0.1%) in Category 3 (pneumonia), three (0.1%) in Category 4 (requiring oxygen support) and none in Category 5 (needing intensive care).
Dr Ibrahim, who is also College of Radiology Malaysia vice-president, said the country is grappling with the emergence of new variants, especially Delta, which people are not being tested for.
“The vaccine may not be 100% protective, especially against the Delta variant.”
With the varying levels of protection offered by the different vaccines, some recipients may be protected as much as 95%, and others, as low as 50%.
“For every 100 people who are 95% protected, only five may get infected, while for those who are 50% protected, it is about 40 out of every 100 vaccinated,” said Dr Ibrahim.
“But their symptoms will not be as severe as those experienced by people who are not vaccinated. They may not need hospitalisation and ventilator aid.”
The only way to end transmissions is to vaccinate as many people as quickly as possible, given the emergence of new variants, he said.
The hardest-hit areas, like the Klang Valley and Negri Sembilan, should be prioritised in the vaccination drive. Since not everyone has MySejahtera, we should go out and vaccinate them. This includes undocumented migrants.”
He took umbrage at congestion at Covid-19 assessment centres (CACs), which he described as “transmission centres” for the virus.
“It is an unregulated environment. They are asking for trouble as there is a high risk of infection (at CACs). It is safer to do these assessments at health centres or hospitals.” – The Vibes, July 20, 2021
