DOCTORS are in the dark as to the procedures they should follow when issuing letters to people with medical conditions exempting them from Covid-19 jabs.

Medical workers told The Malaysian Insight that this situation had put the people in a tight spot.

The doctors said they had read news articles about the need for a letter but said they have not received any memo from the Health Ministry.

“Yes, we only got to know from news articles where Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin had said that this group would need letters from doctors explaining the reasons why they could not be vaccinated.

“Yet we can’t simply issue any letters to them because there is no memo,” a doctor from Hospital Tunku Jaafar in Seremban said.

Doctors who spoke wanted to remain anonymous as they are prohibited from speaking to the media.

Khairy in his inaugural press conference on September 1 said the MySejahtera app would soon have a new feature to indicate medical reasons for those who cannot be vaccinated.

He also said these people would need a letter from doctors to certify their medical situation.

“As long as they have a doctor’s confirmation that they cannot complete the vaccination on medical grounds, we will come up with a feature on MySejahtera to indicate this,” Khairy said, adding that the ministry also would come up with standard operating procedures (SOP) that are appropriate for those people.

MySejahtera updated its platform early this month, which now displays the risk-level and vaccination status of a person in the check-in page.

However, there was no new feature for those contraindications.

The doctor from Seremban added that the hospital has seen patients who were unable to be vaccinated due to their medical history and wanted such a letter.

However, doctors were unable to grant their request because there was nothing official from the ministry.

The doctor also said that such a letter carries a lot of weight and did not want it to fall into the wrong hands.

“This letter is a serious declaration, and we don’t want the anti-vaxxers to take advantage and make use of it for their personal benefit.

“So, we have to ensure that the person is genuinely not fit to be vaccinated,” the doctor added.

These people are seeking exemption letters so that they are able to continue their daily routine.

People who are fully vaccinated are now allowed to pray at mosques, surau and non-Muslim houses of worship.

Last week, National Security Council (NSC) director Zamri Misman said local authorities can impose a ruling requiring that only those who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 can enter markets and grocery stores, even though the council had not enforced the guideline for the essential service.

Zamri said local councils and shopkeepers had the right to come up with rules in the interests of infection control, and added that people who could not be vaccinated should bring along their letters.

A patient, who could not proceed with the second dose of vaccine due to his adverse event following immunisation (AEFI), said his inability to complete his vaccination was not his choice.

“It is not that I refused the vaccination and am I not an anti-vaxxer.

“I experienced severe side effects after the first dose and later was told not to proceed with the second shot due to my health.

“Yet because of this, I’m caught in the middle and being treated as an anti-vaxxer. I think the ministry should address the issue soon,” the patient, who did not want to disclose his identity said.

Not an easy process

A doctor from Hospital Serdang, who only wants to be known as Siva, said it would not be as easy to obtain an exemption letter.

He said a patient would need to undergo a thorough check-up and have a consultation session with the specialist before they are given such a letter.

“Based on my opinion, I don’t think the ministry would give all doctors the authority to sign-off such letters because it would be deemed an important document.

“So, in such a case, after the check-up, the specialist would probably have a consultation session with the patient to confirm the medical condition before certifying it,” he said.

Siva added that the letters issued by doctors would be a crucial document because it would explain the medical condition of the patient, saying it could even be helpful when the person travels abroad.

“Nowadays, most countries expect travellers to be vaccinated but we have seen that not everyone can satisfy this criterion due to medical conditions, besides other personal reasons.

“So, it is here that the letter plays an important role because it can be used locally and abroad,” he said.

However, Siva advised the ministry to confine the approval of such letters to only doctors from public hospitals.

The doctor added that those with contraindications should always adhere to SOPs, maintain good hygiene and take extra protective measures so that they are safe from contracting the virus. – October 3, 2021.