MALAYSIA’S Covid-19 vaccination rate is too low to allow relaxed restrictions for the fully-vaccinated, the Malaysian Healthcare Coalition (MHC) said today.

The coalition of more than 50 health organisations and experts urged the government to review the decision to loosen restrictions, which starts today, and to defer it until the vaccination rate is higher.

“Postpone the relaxed restrictions to a timepoint defined by strict evidence. We understand that there is never a perfect time to relax restrictions for fully vaccinated individuals. However, this decision is premature at this point in time,” it said in a statement today.

“We are inadequately vaccinated, there is vaccine inequality in Malaysia, we are still seeing thousands of daily cases and over-utilised intensive care units, general hospital wards, emergency departments and quarantine centres, and the Delta variant is likely the dominant variant in Malaysia.”

MHC proposed that relaxations for fully vaccinated persons be delayed until the vaccination rate is more than 70% of the population. Currently, the government is only focusing on inoculating the adult population.

MHC said currently, only 27% of the general population are fully vaccinated, and this excludes undocumented migrants.

“Chile only relaxed restrictions after 50% coverage, and Singapore is targeting relaxed restrictions at 70% coverage,” it said.

“Fully vaccinated” is defined as the stages when the antibodies are fully effective 14 days after the second shot of the vaccine has been administered. Recipients of the one-and-done vaccines must wait 28 days be considered fully vaccinated.

As of yesterday, 38.7% of the Malaysian adult population has had two doses of Covid-19 vaccines, according to the special committee on Covid-19 vaccine supply. But the figure does not indicate how many have completed the waiting time for the vaccines to become effective.

On vaccine inequality, MHC noted the percentage of fully vaccinated persons ranges widely from state to state.

Meanwhile, the healthcare system is still overwhelmed as daily cases remain high, it added.

“Total critical care bed occupancy rate for Covid-19 (should be) at or more than 90%, (and) total daily new cases (should be) at or less 4,000 with share of positive tests at or less than 5%,” it also.

It said data for ICUs, general wards, emergency departments and quarantine centres must be used to guide decisions under the National Recovery Plan to exit the Covid-19 lockdown.

The relaxed rules for fully vaccinated people also lack specifics, and these must be clarified or loopholes will impede the recovery plan, MHC added.

“For example, the government must answer questions like: What is the rationale to allow home quarantine for vaccinated travellers, how long is the quarantine, and how will we monitor? How do we close the loopholes that may allow interstate vacations on the pretext of visiting our children? 

“We urge the government to publicise their evidence and projections and explain their rationale for decisions. Otherwise, the rakyat will be left guessing if we are truly making policies based on evidence,” MHC said.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin two days ago relaxed conditions for the fully vaccinated effective  today.

For the fully vaccinated, home quarantine is waived for Malaysians and foreigners who have residency in the country, interstate travel for spouses living and working apart are allowed, as it interstate travel for parents visiting children below the age of 18. These apply regardless of which phase of the recovery plan a state is in.

They are also allowed to dine out, travel inter-district, take part in non-contact and individual outdoor sports, and domestic tours, including hotel stays within the state, in states in phase 2 and above. – August 10, 2021.