1.Understanding the Negative Public Perception on Vaccination in West Coast and East Coast Peninsular Malaysia
Sakina Ruhi ; Puteri Nabilah ; Sohayla M. Attalla ; Mohamed Treki ; Jiyauddin Khan ; Aminu Ishaka ; Shariq Baber ; Mohammed Kaleemullah ; Salman Hasan
Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences 2021;17(No.1):77-82
Introduction: Vaccination is a biological process that improves immunity level of an individual towards certain diseases. Vaccination is generally given to all newborn and kids. Most countries oblige their citizens to be vaccinated as
early as new-born age. The aim of this research is to study the perception on vaccination intake and the associated
factors that lead to its refusal among parents in east coast and west coast peninsular Malaysia. Methods: Primary
data were collected using self-administered questionnaire and were distributed to assess the study objectives. Total
240 questionnaires were distributed equally in west coast and east coast study area. Questionnaire consists of demographic data, perception aspects and factors that may lead to the negative perceptions. Results: There is significant
association between perception and religion, education level and side effect factor in east coast with majority of the
respondents are Muslims (40.83%) while there is no significant association between education level and side effect
factor (p>0.1) in west coast with majority of respondents are Muslims (51.67%) too. This study found that perception
regarding vaccination is influenced by the religion restrictions in east coast of peninsular Malaysia and not in west
coast region. The other factors associated with vaccination refusal varies according to education level, and regional
basis. Conclusion: Most of the respondents who have negative perception regarding vaccination are from East Coast
region as they are more prone into Islamic teachings. All the possible factors of vaccination refusal are accepted by
the respondents but varies in its prevalence as the leading factor determined that caused the vaccination refusal are
religion restriction and the least percentage for the factor is time restriction.
2.COVID-19 patients with negative results on initial screening: Experience of Brunei Darussalam
Vui Heng Chong ; Justin Wong ; Muhammad Syafiq Abdullah ; Rosmonaliza Asli ; Riamiza Natalie Momin ; Siti Nabilah Ahmed ; Norhasyimah Tamin ; Babu Ivan Mani ; Pui Lin Chong
Western Pacific Surveillance and Response 2022;13(1):56-59
In any infectious disease outbreak, early diagnosis, isolation of cases and quarantine of contacts are central to disease containment. In Brunei Darussalam, suspected cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were quarantined either at home or at designated centres and were tested immediately for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. We report on 10 cases of COVID-19 that initially tested negative for COVID-19 and were positive on re-testing after becoming symptomatic. These cases comprised 3.8% of the 266 total confirmed COVID-19 cases in Brunei Darussalam as of 9 July 2021, when this study was conducted. All the cases were in quarantine at home and were tested early during their quarantine period. Since then, home quarantine has been replaced by quarantine at designated centres only, with testing on the 12th day of quarantine.