Wanted: Vaccine trial volunteers
Sarawak Health Dept seeking 400 healthy participants as part of nationwide Covid-19 eradication effort
KUCHING: The Sarawak Health Department is looking for 400 volunteers to take part in a Covid-19 vaccine trial, which is expected to start this month.
Its director Dr Chin Zin Hing said the vaccine trial is part of a national effort to eradicate Covid-19.
“We are looking to recruit 400 healthy volunteers to take part in this vaccine trial. This trial is expected to start in early to mid-January 2021 and you are expected to come for a total of six visits to Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) for completion of the trial,” he said yesterday.
“As long as he or she is healthy and would like to participate, the volunteer can WhatsApp SGH on 012-3108108 to find out more about this trial.”
Dr Chin said participation in the vaccine trial is on a first come, first served basis.
“Our clinical trial teams in SGH headed by (infectious disease physician) Dr Chua Hock Hin will be conducting the trial. SGH is one of the nine centres in Malaysia selected to do the trial.
“However, this is just a trial or study and not vaccination per se, as the vaccine has not been approved for the market yet,” he pointed out.
However, Dr Chin declined to reveal the brand of vaccine that will be used in the trial.
On Dec 23, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said the Sarawak government will ensure the Covid19 vaccine is provided for free to all Sarawakians, even if it involves high transportation costs to get the vaccine to the state.
The vaccine is expected to be priced at RM77 for two doses excluding transportation costs and would need to be kept in a special refrigerated container with a temperature of negative 70 degrees Celsius.
Abang Johari said the Sarawak government decided to provide
We are looking to recruit 400 healthy volunteers to take part in this vaccine trial. This trial is expected to start in early to midJanuary 2021 and you are expected to come for a total of six visits to Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) for completion of the trial. Dr Chin Zin Hing
the Covid-19 vaccine for free to all Sarawakians as soon as Malaysia signed an agreement with pharmaceutical company Pfizer.
The Malaysian government has so far inked deals to acquire vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca, and is also in advanced negotiations to secure vaccines from China’s Sinovac, CanSino Biologics, and Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine.
It is also in talks with Moderna and Johnson & Johnson to secure their vaccines.
On Tuesday, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said vaccination against Covid-19 in the country will be voluntary, and that Malaysians must also indicate their willingness to be vaccinated once the vaccines become available in the country.