KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 22 — The Institute for Clinical Research (ICR) under the Ministry of Health has launched a survey to study public acceptance and understanding of Covid-19 booster vaccines.
The Inception-B survey described Covid-19 booster shot as an additional dose given to boost immunity after a person is inoculated completely with two doses of either Pfizer-BioNTech, Sinovac, Sinopharm, or AstraZeneca.
Those who have received one dose of single-regime Covid-19 vaccines. including Johnson & Johnson and CanSino, are also considered as fully vaccinated.
The Inception-B survey stated a few hypothetical scenarios to study responses towards Covid-19 booster shots.
The survey asked Malaysian residents to state the minimum percentage of effectiveness expected from Covid-19 booster shots if there is strong evidence that getting a booster jab helps prevent one from getting Covid-19 infection or complications.
The survey also included questions on whether respondents intend to take Covid-19 booster shots if the additional dose provides more than 90 per cent or 80 to 90 per cent effectiveness.
Questions like acceptance of mix-and match vaccination for Covid-19 booster shots and the acceptable frequency of periodic booster vaccination were also included in the Inception-B survey.
At the same time, the Inception-B survey asked respondents to state their agreement or disagreement on whether Covid-19 booster vaccines will decrease the chances of coronavirus infection or complications; side effects; and possibilities of embracing a normal life.
The government has decided to administer off-label use of heterologous Covid-19 vaccination by offering Pfizer boosters to senior citizens aged 60 years and older who received two Sinovac doses.
Pfizer boosters are also offered to health and security frontline workers, individuals aged 60 years and above, and those with comorbidities who were fully inoculated with the same mRNA vaccine. The booster programme is voluntary and free of charge.
