COVID-19: Vaccine is for prevention, not cure - MMA

KUALA LUMPUR:The COVID-19 vaccine, which is expected to be available in the first quarter of next year, is not for treating the infection but rather as protection against the disease, said the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) president Prof Datuk Dr Subramaniam Muniandy.

Dr Subramaniam said that when the vaccine was injected into the human body, it would help increase immunity in the body to fight diseases.

"Therefore, the frontliners such as doctors and nurses will be given priority to get vaccinated because they are the closest individuals (to the patients), vulnerable and at high risk when dealing with patients who are positive for COVID-19.

"The World Health Organisation (WHO) last week also announced that every country will get the vaccine whether it is a developed country or not," he told reporters after the handing over ceremony of donations for the Sabah COVID-19 Fund at the MMA Building here today.

He said that once the vaccine was available, the price would be high and not everyone could afford it, thus people would have to depend on the government’s allocation to get vaccinated.

During the ceremony, Loob Holding Sdn Bhd, better known as Tealive, handed over a contribution of RM100,000 to assist frontliners in Sabah in the fight against the pandemic.

To date, MMA has received a total of RM4.5 million in donations in the form of medical equipment and cash for the COVID-19 Fund, of which RM3.5 million has been donated for use in Sabah.

-- BERNAMA

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