National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme can bring down positive cases to zero - Dr Jemilah

She said if 80 per cent of Malaysians got vaccinated, the country would succeed in achieving the targetted ‘Herd Immunity’.

However, she said during the implementation of the vaccination programme, the people must also play a role by continuing to comply with the standard operating procedure (SOP) set to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“I think it is not impossible to achieve zero COVID-19 (daily case), but we try to bring down the number of cases as best we can and try to protect ourselves first.

“Achieving zero case does not lie with the vaccine alone, but the people also need to play a very important role in maintaining public health such as using face masks and practicing physical distancing until the number of cases reach zero and maintain it for a certain period of time,” she said in the Malaysia Petang Ini programme broadcast live on Bernama TV today.

Commenting further, Jemilah said the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme has never been a mandatory programme and it is not forced on Malaysians.

“We have to understand that the vaccine will save many people from the disease (COVID-19) which is quite serious.

"Therefore, protecting oneself is one way we can protect all the people and also think of our relatives who are senior citizens and are at a higher risk of contracting diseases,” she said.

On the impact of the anti-vaccine group’s activities on the national programme, Jemilah said the group existed around the world, but it was very small compared to those who understood science and support the vaccination.

She said bring the group to get the vaccine, people need to make them understand the facts of science.