KUCHING: The Sarawak Health Department has been urged to study whether there is a need for mass flu vaccinations to prevent an influenza epidemic from happening at the same time as the Covid-19 pandemic.
In making the call, Minister of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development, Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah pointed out that the rationale of taking the flu vaccination must be explained.
She was asked for her comments after a doctor, Dr Ashok Segar, suggested that a mass flu vaccination programme be promptly carried out statewide in preparation for a Covid-19-influenza double epidemic.
“Yes … But, in view of the Covid-19 pandemic, the issue is further compounded. Public might just confuse flu with Covid-19 because of similarities,” Fatimah told New Sarawak Tribune when contacted on Sunday (Sept 20).
She further explained, “When one catches flu, you just take flu medication, rest and recover.
“Therefore, we, the general public, would like to know what the Health Department thinks of the doctor’s suggestion,” she said.
Dr Ashok told the New Sarawak Tribune last Saturday (Sept 19) that flu was in season and vaccinating target groups such as children, the elderly and people with history of illnesses as well as frontliners, would prevent the health system from being overwhelmed when the situation took a turn for the worse.
“After months of Covid-19, the people are now suffering from pandemic fatigue and this is where the complacency seeps in — general denial and genuine fear all reinforce the delusion that if it’s the flu, it cannot be Covid-19.
“This creates a nightmare situation of an asymptomatic Covid-19 patient unknowingly seeding the community. The only way to resolve this is by doing mass flu vaccinations, but we can’t afford for all to be vaccinated. Hence, we vaccinate the target group,” he said.
Dr Ashok said once the flu season hit, it would be difficult to differentiate the Covid-19 and flu cases.
“If a Covid-19 patient spreads the virus around, it will be difficult for us to trace it as there will be so many flu cases. How can we tell who has flu and who has Covid-19? The entire medical system will collapse simply because the system will not be able to cope with the cases,” he said.
Dr Ashok had also urged the Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Ministry to take the lead in conducting mass flu vaccination programmes.
“While the matters of public health are under the jurisdiction of the federal government, the social wellbeing aspect of Sarawakians is within the purview of the state government,” he said.
