Booster Shot Concerns

(An abridged version with a different title was published in The Sun/ The Star 15 Nov 2021)

News that the Ministry of Health will be giving booster jabs to all frontliners and seniors is welcome by most quarters. Unfortunately, the recent announcement by the Minister of Health that Pfizer booster jabs will be given to seniors who already received two doses of Sinovac has created a lot of anxiety and uneasiness. This is especially so for those who are well read. They have strong apprehension about the safety of such heterologous booster shots. To add to their alarm is the press statement by the minister that this heterologous administration will be part of the government study, done in an off-label manner, meaning this booster jab is used in a way other than officially approved for. So, can we blame the seniors for the perception that they are being used as guinea pigs?!

Even though it was barely a few days ago that MySejahtera  has started notifying these seniors about their booster jab appointments, the ministry should have got the drift by now. Many seniors either did not confirm their appointments, or they    confirmed but did not show up for the vaccination. MySejahtera only asks recipients of booster jab offers to click a button to confirm, no other options are available. (Sounds like hard selling snake oil, take it or leave it, as one senior quipped!)  Those who found the date and time of jab appointment unsuitable tried calling helpline, but like before, to no avail. Some just clicked to confirm, out of anxiety, and then decided not to show up. One senior complained that he was given two doses of Sinovac because of health issue, but now they want to give him Pfizer as booster!

Many people are of the opinion that the decision to mix two Sinovac jabs with Pfizer as booster shot is not substantiated by findings of any study or analysis of data collected by the Ministry of Health thus far. It is callous to say the least, subjecting the vulnerable seniors to unknown and unnecessary risks. This is especially so in the midst of many experts, including a WHO scientist, warning and cautioning the use of heterologous vaccinations by individuals. (https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/who-warns-against-mixing-matching-covid-vaccines-2021-07-12/..... ) The Chinese government is also very prudent and responsible, stating that there will be no mixed booster shots until scientists are sure.  (https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3153424/no-mixed-covid-19-booster-shots-china-until-scientists-are-sure)

Therefore, our burning question is: Why not give a third Sinovac to these seniors as booster? After all, a study in Turkey involving 30 million vaccinated citizens has indicated that the highest level of protection was seen in people who received three doses of inactive vaccines (Sinovac), rather than in those who received two doses of inactive vaccines and one booster shot of an mRNA vaccine (Pfizer). (https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Coronavirus/COVID-vaccines/3-doses-of-Sinovac-is-better-than-mixing-with-Pfizer-Turkish-minister) Our neighbor Singapore down south is doing just that now, giving three doses of Sinovac to those who do not want mRNA vaccine as booster. Can we do the same here?