What Happens When I Get My Vaccination?

The Covid-19 vaccine is an important part of overcoming the pandemic that has impacted us all. According to our Ministry of Health, over 7.59 million doses have been administered in Malaysia, covering 16.69% of the population with at least one dose. One of the goals of our National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) is to vaccinate at least 80% of the population in order to decrease widespread national infection. 80% would be 26 million Malaysians out of our 32.7 million population.

The impact of a widespread vaccination program has been seen in countries like the U.K. where over 44 million people have been vaccinated. That’s almost 83% of all adults in the U.K. This has led to a steep decrease in cases and the reopening of restaurants, bars, hotels, theatres and even Premier League matches.

We personally can’t wait to be able to go to the mamak or see our loved ones across state lines again soon. Signing up for your Covid-19 vaccination is the first step. We all have our part to play!

Some of us may have understandable reservations or questions about Covid-19 vaccinations. To address some of these issues, we have interviewed some of your colleagues across the company to hear about their experiences!

1. Please tell us about your experience at the PPV (Pusat Pemberian Vaksin)?

Ahmad Shuhairi Bin A Hijazi:
I was vaccinated at Hospital Sultanah Aminah Johor Bahru, which is a good facility. It was a quick session.

Kong Chiong Ling:
The environment was good, the arrangement was following the SOPs and the flow was very smooth. The instructions given were very clear too.

Sivaneswaran A/L Sabaratnam:
My vaccination was actually in Singapore when I was accompanying my mother. It was well-planned and systematic.

Syed Muazzin Jamil Bin Syed Omar Sharifuddin:
The situation inside the PPV during my appointment was very smooth and well-organised. I am very grateful to the volunteers/staff who are working hard and making sure everyone is maintaining social distancing and safety measures. The only unfortunate situation during my time was that my appointment was delayed for almost 4 hours for some reason. Even though the situation got heated for everyone, the security and staff handled it professionally.

2. What vaccine were you given?

Ahmad Shuhairi Bin A Hijazi:
Pfizer

Syed Muazzin Jamil Bin Syed Omar Sharifuddin:
AstraZeneca #AZ

Kong Chiong Ling:
AstraZeneca #AZ

Sivaneswaran A/L Sabaratnam:
Moderna

3. How did you feel about taking the vaccine? Did you experience any side effects?

Ahmad Shuhairi Bin A Hijazi:
So far good. During the 1st dose, there were no side effects. During the 2nd dose, the arm felt a little bit painful at the place where the injection had been done.

Syed Muazzin Jamil Bin Syed Omar Sharifuddin:
To me, it feels like a necessary step towards the possibility of reducing our total positive cases in the country and eventually stabilising Malaysia’s economic factor soon. In my situation, I had some minor fever and headache for around 2 days, but a simple Panadol would do the trick.

Kong Chiong Ling:
To be honest, I didn’t feel like taking the vaccine at first. However, I had no major side effects after getting the first dose.

Sivaneswaran A/L Sabaratnam:
I was looking forward to receiving it in order to protect myself, my family and my colleagues. For the first dose, I experienced soreness at the injection area and mild pain on my arm for 2 days. During the 2nd dose, the pain on my arm lasted for 3 days.

4. Is there anything you would like to share with your colleagues who are hesitant about taking the vaccine?

Ahmad Shuhairi Bin A Hijazi:
Don’t be afraid, for the safety of yourself and all around us.

Syed Muazzin Jamil Bin Syed Omar Sharifuddin:
My humble suggestion is for everyone to be properly educated in this situation and always fact check every information received before jumping to conclusions.

Kong Chiong Ling:
Yes! Do it!

Sivaneswaran A/L Sabaratnam:
Don’t be selfish, consider all the people around you. At the same time it will help to protect us from the effects of Covid-19.

Many thanks to our colleagues for taking the time to share their experiences with us! We hope that each of us will do our part in helping our nation overcome the Covid-19 pandemic.