KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 22 —The Ministry of Health (MOH) has launched a survey to identify public opinion in Malaysia on Covid-19 vaccination.
The survey that was posted on MOH’s social media pages asks for details on demographics like age, gender, occupation, highest level of education, history of chronic illnesses, as well as whether the respondent lives with an elderly person, a child, a pregnant woman, or with someone who has chronic illnesses.
The first question is if the respondent agrees to accept Covid-19 vaccination. One can choose if they agree, disagree, or if they are not sure.
If a respondent chooses the agree option, the next set of questions are then to study the reasons for accepting Covid-19 vaccination.
Among the questions include:
- Covid-19 vaccination makes me less worried about getting infected
- Vaccination prevents me from being infected
- Vaccination prevents me from complication and mortality
- Vaccination can prevent myself from infecting others
- I am doubtful about the ingredients used to produce a Covid-19 vaccine
- I agree to take the Covid-19 vaccine because it is a government order
Respondents can either choose the agree option, disagree, or “not sure” option on each statement as above.
If a participant disagrees in accepting the Covid-19 vaccination, the next set of questions is to study the reasons why the person disagrees. Individuals can choose to agree, disagree, or select the not sure option for each statement as below:
- I feel the Covid-19 vaccine is not safe
- I feel that the Covid-19 vaccine is not effective
- I am worried about the side effects of the Covid-19 vaccine
- I am suspicious about the ingredients used to produce the Covid-19 vaccine
- I am worried that the Covid-19 vaccine can cause death
- I believe I am not at risk to be infected with Covid-19
- I can’t afford to pay the cost for the Covid-19 vaccine
- I believe I am immune to Covid-19 because I have been infected with Covid-19
Meanwhile, for those who chose the “not sure” option on whether they should get the Covid-19 vaccine, they will have to give a response on an additional statement on whether they would need more information about Covid-19 vaccination.
The last section of the survey asks respondents if they would take the Covid-19 vaccine if they have to pay for it.
Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced earlier today that the government has purchased 6.4 million doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford University coronavirus vaccine, covering 10 per cent of the Malaysian population.
The Malaysian government’s confirmed orders cover 40 per cent of the population so far, including 20 per cent coverage with the Pfizer-BioNTech shot and 10 per cent with vaccines from the global COVAX facility.
According to Muhyiddin, another 42.8 per cent of the Malaysian population may be covered with vaccines from China-based companies Sinovac and CanSino, as well as Russian vaccine Sputnik V, amid ongoing negotiations. The Chinese vaccines, however, have yet to complete their Phase 3 clinical trials.
The government is spending US$504.4 million (RM2.05 billion), as of today, on Covid-19 vaccines for 82.8 per cent of the population (26.5 million Malaysians), said Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
