KUCHING, Nov 23: Bintulu MP Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing has urged the Ministry of Health (MOH) to allow people to choose the brand of Covid-19 vaccination booster shot they want.
He said the people should retain their right to choose the type of booster they want, especially after they have received their initial two doses of the Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine.
“If most people want to receive the same brand of vaccine booster as their initial doses, why should the MOH force them to accept the Pfizer-BioNTech booster?” he said in a statement today.
Tiong, who is also the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to China-cum-Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) president, further questioned whether MOH would take responsibility if the people suffer side effects from the booster they did not choose.
He said when errors or misjudgements occur in the pandemic prevention effort, the MOH has never taken responsibility for them but insists that the problem still lies with the people.
“We are also are left perplexed by the government’s choice to only provide Pfizer-BioNTech booster shots but allow Sinovac boosters only in designated private medical centres.
“Yet, Sinovac boosters are still in the slow process of being approved by the Drug Control Authority (DCA). However, the approval for the Pfizer-BioNTech booster was surprisingly fast,” he added.
He also mentioned that the pandemic has plagued the people for a long time but MOH has never reviewed its past performance adding that their processes and bureaucracy are still hindering the efforts against Covid-19.
“If the MOH wants to increase the rates of booster shot take-up, then it is time that they allow the people to choose the brand they want instead of forcing them to accept whatever is offered,” he emphasised. — DayakDaily
