By Dr Kenneth Wu

It is good news the COVID-19 vaccination rollout has accelerated in recent weeks.

On the other hand, there is an urgent need for the government to change some of the policies in order to reduce further lost of lives and livelihoods.

Many lives have perished due to excessive restrictions and quarantines.

There are still many people who are reluctant to be vaccinated.

One of the ways to encourage more people to come forward is to provide some incentives and treat people who have been vaccinated differently.

For example, fully vaccinated travelers returning to Malaysia from overseas may be required to have five days of home quarantine or no quarantine at all provided they do not have symptoms. They should still be screened for the virus on day two and day five.

With the exception of a number of countries which should be on the red list, fully vaccinated travelers from most countries should not need to be quarantined.

The UK has long required most travelers returning to the UK to self isolate at home. They have now changed their strategies again based on the latest information. There will be no quarantine for those who have been fully vaccinated provided they have not visited one of countries on their red list.

If too many people are restricted unnecessarily, the diminished workforce of the country will affect the economy further.

Unnecessary quarantines can also lead to anxiety, depression and other social problems.

Some of the policies in Malaysia are still based on older evidence. There is an urgent need to review them.

One recent official health report published in the UK has revealed that the rate of a person catching a COVID-19 infection after full vaccination is mercifully low, at around 0.13%.

Commonsense tells us the possibility of them transmitting the disease must be even lower (possibly less than 0.001%).

If people are not infected, they are unable to infect others. especially if they continue to wear facial coverings.

The US CDC has reported that the risk of being infected after full vaccination is around 0.08%.

Out of 75 millions people that have been fully vaccinated in the US, 5,800 cases of them testing positive for the virus.

More importantly, the risk of them transmitting the infection is even lower. Therefore, it is important to find a balance between managing livelihoods and deaths due to COVID-19.

Immunity against the virus is extremely good three weeks after full vaccination. It is logical to allow people who have been fully vaccinated to have home quarantine and less quarantine time.

The people in Malaysia are more likely to think positively of a government who is willing to change strategies based on logical reasons and updated evidence. This is the opportunity for the government to score favorable points with the people. Prolonged and unnecessary quarantines will only cause more resentments from the public.

Another incentive which will not cost the government is to allow fully vaccinated individuals to make permissible trips between districts if they do not have symptoms, instead of going to police stations to apply for travel permits.

This will save time and minimize the potential risks of catching the virus.

The same principle can be applied to allow vaccinated individuals to dine in restaurants or return to their workplaces.

Whatever is happening in Selangor can happen to other parts of the country. Vaccination is not one of the ways, but the only way to prevent excessive bodies from piling up.

It is very hard to regulate people's behavior, especially in places like Sabah and Kelantan where the vaccine rollout is too slow. These are the states which are very vulnerable without vaccines.

Rolling out vaccines as quickly as possible and providing some incentives for people to be inoculated as mentioned above will help. This has to be done urgently if we are to avoid more tsunamis in other parts of Malaysia. Indonesia is a clear example for us to learn and we need to act quickly. 

Reducing unnecessary red tapes for private clinics to deliver vaccines is another urgent matter which needs to be addressed.

Many private clinics desire to assist but there are apparently too many red tapes and forms to be completed which slow down the process.

Mobile units are necessary in order to vaccinate as many factory and construction workers and undocumented migrants.

Many of these workers and migrants are more likely to transmit the virus to others. They are not able to do social distancing or wear a mask properly.

Mobile teams should go from factory to factory. Bosses will line up their workers to be vaccinated if they are told only vaccinated workers are allow to work.

Even if only 50% of the workers are vaccinated, it will still buy time for the hospitals in Klang Valley to reorganize their resources.

This is a race against time. Many deaths can be avoided with the right policies.

By taking the few steps and changing the policies swiftly, i believe you and your government will have a better chance to lift the spirits of the people. The country desperately needs more good news.

My appeal to the public is please do not miss your vaccine appointments. Accept whichever vaccines are provided for now. Some protection is better than none at all.

Treating vaccinated people differently is not discrimination. It is necessary in order to encourage as many people as possible to be protected.

There is good evidence to support the theory that 90% to 96% of fully vaccinated individuals will not develop severe COVID disease.

If a vast majority of infected individuals are not severely ill or hospitalized, we will eventually learn to live with this virus just like another flu-like virus.

Your decision to get vaccinated will help save lives, jobs and the country.

Continue to wear a mask and keep your distance even after you have been vaccinated.

We are at war with this virus.

Malaysia can and must win this war.

Watch the author's latest interactive Facebook interview highlighting different COVID-19 vaccines.

(Dr Kenneth Wu is a medical specialist practicing in Sabah and a unique writer with the ability to integrate medical information with life inspiration. His latest book, 'Fake News Can Change You' encourages readers to embrace kindness and never give up especially when times are tough.)