Malaysia is speeding up their nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive as we speak! With the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines in Malaysia, we remain hopeful that we'll reach herd immunity by end of 2021. If you receive an AstraZeneca vaccine appointment and curious to know more about it, here are some things you should know about AstraZeneca vaccine in Malaysia!

What is AstraZeneca? 

AstraZeneca is a viral vector vaccine that was manufactured in the United Kingdom. With an efficacy between 62% and 90%, you need two doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to protect yourself against COVID-19. Other countries that have used the vaccine are United Kingdom, South Africa, Ukraine, Brazil, and Canada.

What are the side effects of AstraZeneca vaccine?

The most common side effects from taking any COVID-19 vaccine are pain, swelling or redness on the arm (where you get the shot), fatigue, headache, body chills, joint pain, fever, nausea, or swollen lymph node. Keep in mind that not everyone will experience the same side effects - and if you do, it means your body's immune system is responding to the vaccine.

Is AstraZeneca vaccine safe?

Yes, AstraZeneca vaccine is safe to use. World Health Organisation (WHO) has listed two versions of AstraZeneca vaccine for emergency use - that ones produced by AstraZeneca-SKBio (Republic of Korea) and the Serum Institute of India. AstraZeneca vaccine was also reviewed by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for quality, safety and efficacy for people aged 18 years and above.

Is AstraZeneca vaccine suitable for pregnant women?

According to The Special Committee on Ensuring Access to Covid-19 Vaccine Supply (JKJAV), AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and Sinovac vaccines are suitable for pregnant (between 14 and 33 weeks of pregnancy) and lactating mothers in Malaysia.

Where to get AstraZeneca vaccine in Malaysia?

For all citizens and non-citizens in Malaysia, you can register for COVID-19 vaccine via MySejahtera, an app that assists the Malaysian government in managing the country's COVID-19 pandemic and helping citizens to monitor their health and getting treatments. At the time of writing, AstraZeneca vaccine is not available for purchase in any public or private hospitals and clinics in Malaysia.

How was the experience getting AstraZeneca vaccine in Malaysia?

Our writer, Ili shared her experience getting AstraZeneca vaccine in Malaysia. She includes tips on how early you should arrive to your vaccine appointment and how to prepare yourself for the side effects. Read these handy tips to get yourself ready for your COVID-19 jab.

We hope this article answers some of the questions you might have about AstraZeneca vaccine in Malaysia!