With the accelerated rate of vaccinations in this country, more and more people have had the opportunity to get vaccinated, Paramount staff included. We managed to get some feedback from across the Group to get a peek into their stories and experiences.
Edwin Loh | GHR, Paramount Corporation
I have always believed in the benefits of vaccination as a means of protection against diseases, in this case the COVID-19 virus. During this time, I had the opportunity to sign up as a volunteer to assist a disabled person. As a result, I was offered a Pfizer vaccine quite early on. I received my jab at Kompleks MAB in Brickfields and the process was rather smooth as the place was not crowded. As for side effects, I am happy to report that I did not experience any negative effects after completing either dose of the vaccine. I am looking forward to the day we manage to achieve herd immunity and restrictions are lifted. It would be great to be able to go about my daily activities without any worries. Personally, I am not sure if things have changed drastically (with this pandemic). Unfortunately I still see many people going about their daily routines, even ignoring SOPs. I guess humans are creatures of habit, and the likelihood is most people will probably revert to their lives after “normality” is restored, as if nothing has changed. Only a few of us may continue adopting certain SOPs for preventive purposes. In the meantime, I strongly encourage everybody to be vaccinated, as “prevention is always better than cure”. Do not give heed to the vaccination naysayers as I am proof that the vaccines do not have any negative effect to one’s health.Kafhy Yew | Sales, Paramount Property Central
I am pregnant and was initially reluctant to get the vaccine because of the fear of losing my baby. At a time when everyone was busy finding ways to get a vaccination slot earlier this year, I was like, “”Never mind, let me deliver my baby first”. However, in June I decided to get registered as there seemed to be a long queue. Also, my cousin who works in the medical related field assured me that it is actually safe to get the vaccine although I am pregnant. She said this is the only way my baby can get the protection while he is inside my tummy. My elder son is five years old and is not eligible for vaccination, so I have to be extra careful when caring for him. Anyway, fast forward to July, I got an appointment at Sunway Convention Centre and the experience was good, fast, comfortable and the staff there were friendly. I received a Pfizer jab and only felt some shoulder pain and was a little sleepy (although this could have been due to my pregnancy!) I miss the freedom that I had to go where I want and to do what I want. When all this is over, I am really looking forward to travelling and getting together with my family and friends whom I miss very much. In the meantime, I believe working from home has become the new norm and I think some businesses and industries can continue to practice this. Or perhaps flexi hours can be incorporated as it can help to reduce traffic jams! Finally, I would like to encourage anyone who has yet to register for vaccination to do so in order to protect yourself and your family.Rozaina Binti Ibrahim | Director’s Office, Paramount Property Utara
I decided to get vaccinated as I want to protect myself as well as those whom I care about. I also want to help the country reach herd immunity. This is because I have personally witnessed the devastating effect of COVID-19 within my own family. Almost all my family members who lived in Taiping were tested positive in May 2021 and had to be admitted to the hospital after their condition worsened. Sadly, my brother-in-law did not make it. Since then, I anxiously checked MySejahtera a few times daily just to see whether I had been given a vaccination slot. After waiting for a few months, I finally received my first dose of Sinovac on 8 July at Dewan MPSPK Taman Guru Jaya. I did not experience any side effects for my first dose. However, for my second dose on 29 July, I had muscle pain and headaches. As the side effects are not too serious, I just took Panadol to deal with it. The one thing I miss about living in the pre-pandemic world is traveling. I miss going places with my whole family, going back to my husband’s hometown in Taiping, going to the mosque during Hari Raya and I also miss hugging my family tightly. After all the restrictions are lifted, I will go back to Taiping to meet with my mom-in-law and share her sorrow on the loss of her eldest son due to COVID-19. Then I might want to book flight tickets for me and my family so that we can travel. The pandemic has made me realised that life is too short and we should grab the opportunity to do all the things that we want when we can. In the meantime, we have to do our part to reach the herd community. Do not be influenced and swayed by all the fake news about vaccines on social media. Always remember the slogan “Lindung Diri, Lindung Semua”.Mohd Nizar | Projects, Paramount Construction
I registered myself on MySejahtera on 4 March and at then registered my name at a klinik kesihatan near my house as a back-up! It was just as well because on 24 May, I received a call from the klinik kesihatan to replace somebody who did not turn up for vaccination. Subsequently, my 2nd dose was on 14 June. After getting the first dose of Sinovac, there were no side effects. However, on my second dose, my left hand felt numb for two days. I just applied some minyak angin on my shoulder and went about my day. When all of this is over, I would like to travel and visit my relatives all over Malaysia. To all my colleagues, please register for vaccination so we can get our normal life back as soon as possible. All approved vaccines are safe.Darren Fong | Co-labs Coworking
Why did I decide to get vaccinated? Because it is the right and logical thing to do. Getting vaccinated will not only keep myself safe, but also the people around me. Creating a herd immunity is one of the only ways we can flatten the curve as demonstrated by other countries who have started returning to ‘normal’. I registered on MySejahtera rather early but knew I had a while to wait to get an appointment. Then the AstraZeneca registration opened up. I was quite skeptical though, so I held off initially but after realising that being vaccinated is more important than any side effects, I tried registering for the second round but failed. However, a month later, I got an appointment notification on MySejahtera and now I’m fully vaccinated. Surprisingly my side effects weren’t as serious as others — I felt tired, had splitting headaches and my spine ached. I just popped a Panadol to ease the headaches but I mostly got a lot of rest and stayed hydrated. I look forward to the day I can leave the house whenever I want and not worry about ‘exposure’ and meeting up with my friends and giving them massive hugs because I miss them a lot. And having events at Co-labs Coworking spaces. Things have definitely changed with the pandemic. Now when people meet, instead of asking “Have you eaten?”, they would ask “Have you been vaccinated?” Getting vaccinated is a personal decision, but choosing not to get vaccinated is a decision that impacts everyone. The sooner everyone gets vaccinated, the sooner we are able to resume life as ‘normal’ again.Leanne Mong | HR, Paramount Property Central
When the government announced that we could register for vaccination on MySejahtera, I registered myself as early as 23 February 2021 without any hesitation. It was clear that we would be living with the COVID-19 virus for a long time, so why not get ourselves protected? Unfortunately, due to my age and job nature, I was not in the prioritised group to be vaccinated. Hence, I grabbed the opportunity to opt-in for the AstraZeneca vaccine when registration opened in May. The online registration was chaotic, but I was lucky to get a slot in July. When the day arrived, I was extremely excited even though I have trypanophobia. I made my way to my destination with the help of clear signages everywhere and the volunteers were very helpful. Then, it was time for the jab! For someone who is afraid of needles, I was surprised to not feel a thing at all. The whole process was done in seconds. I could not ask for a better vaccination experience. I woke up the next day with a mild fever, chills, and a sore left arm. However, I consider these mild as I have friends who suffered from high fever, vomiting and stomach cramps. I just took Panadol, slept through the entire day, and drank lots of fluids. There are lot of things I miss about living in the pre-pandemic world – going for my regular Muay Thai class, café hopping on the weekends and doing road trips with my friends. Oh, and enjoying a good Japanese buffet! I have done my part to help our nation, what are you waiting for?Jonathan Ngin | Business Development, Dewakan
I decided to get vaccinated not because I wanted to protect myself, but because it was the best way to protect my family. I even encouraged my parents and wife to take the AZ vaccine because the best vaccine is the one that is available to you. The vaccination registration process was smooth for my parents, but my wife and I had to try multiple times before we registered ourselves for the second round of AZ. The vaccination process was smooth, and my body started to react to the vaccine as soon as I got home. The next day I had a fever and body sores which kept me in bed the whole day but side effects are a good sign that your immune system is reacting to the vaccine. I am looking forward to my second dose of vaccination and I really encourage everyone to get vaccinated to bring us closer towards herd immunity. I miss dining in at restaurants the most, and while working at Dewakan, we miss having guests at our restaurant as well. Once restrictions are lifted, I am looking forward to taking my family for a holiday.Nur Ruzanna binti Zolkaply | Customer Care, Paramount Property Central
At first, I hesitated to take the vaccine because I was scared especially when there was unpleasant news regarding the AstraZeneca vaccine. However, after considering the pros and cons, I decided to go for it. I told myself that I’m doing this for my family especially for my children since there is currently no vaccine for children yet especially for those below 12. I booked my AZ vaccine appointment when they opened during the first batch and my vaccination took place in WTCKL. From the entrance to the waiting point, filling up form, to the registration counter, to the consultation checkpoint, taking the jab moment and observation, it took around 45 mins (including 15 mins observation). The process flow was very well organised. And of course, I was also one of those queuing to take the “2021 Mandatory Photo” at the exit. Thank God , I didn’t get the serious side effects. Just that my injection spot was swollen and got a bit blue-ish. Twenty four hours later, I felt a mild body ache like an post-workout effect. I took Panadol and recovered straight away. I have missed being outdoors, my kids enjoying childhood and going to school, socialising with family and friends freely with no worries about what or whom I touch. I can’t wait for the day I can visit my family again and bring my kids out. Just go for it. If you don’t want to do this for yourself, do it for your loved ones. Let’s protect ourselves to protect others. <virtual hugs from me>Francesca Helen Silvester | Co-labs Coworking
When the voluntary AstraZeneca vaccination programme opened, I decided to opt in. It was a logical next step to take in order to fight the virus and to protect my loved ones. The registration process to book the timeslot through JKJAV website was nerve racking but after multiple refreshes, I finally received confirmation for my slot on 17 May 2021 at the World Trade Centre. When the day arrived, I was a little anxious but was relieved when I saw that everything was well organised. The entire process took approximately 1.5 hours. The vaccine symptoms kicked in about 7 hours post vaccine with muscle ache, tiredness, slight fever, and chills. As my sister and I got our vaccines on the same day, we prepared a ‘get well’ home kit in advance stocked with Panadol, cooling water, juices, and herbal soup. By the second day, the symptoms were milder and by the third day everything was back to normal. Eight weeks later, I received my second dose and experienced milder symptoms. The best way I can sum up what I miss the most is this − freedom. Once Malaysia reaches herd immunity, I hope to be able to travel home to Johor and give my parents a huge hug. I think we can all agree that a lot has changed with this pandemic. I would like to believe that we have become more caring and kinder to the people around us – our family, friends, colleagues, and fellow Malaysians because we are all going through this together. Will things return to how it was pre-pandemic? I doubt it, but humans are strong and adaptable creatures and I hope we can continue the good practices learnt throughout this pandemic even after life returns to ‘normal’.Gobinath Maniam | Customer Care, Paramount Property Central
I thought since the pandemic was getting worse, getting vaccinated should keep me protected. The whole process was delightful from the moment I stepped into the medical centre to when the nurse helped scan my vaccination code via MySejahtera. After that, they guided me through the registration process and subsequently led me into the vaccination room. The doctor patiently showed me the vaccine (Sinovac) and the injection process was carried out without any pain, which caught me by surprise. I did not experience any side effects after that although I did take a Panadol before and after the vaccination. What do I miss most about living in the pre-pandemic world? Well, I used to travel to the outskirts of the city with my family almost every weekend. This is what we miss a lot during this pre-pandemic. I definitely look forward to getting away from this concrete jungle and traveling to somewhere with more greenery. What’s changed during this pandemic is that many people have developed mental stress which has left a huge psychological scar in their lives. This may apply to those who have lost jobs and even worse, those who have lost the ability to feed their families. As for why we should all register for vaccination, I believe it is our duty as a citizen of Malaysia to help the country and protect the world from COVID-19 soonest possible. There are many skeptics when it comes to the vaccination. However, do you realise that we never bother to ask or look into details of the various vaccinations given to our children? Nor do we ask about the side effects of the vaccination. We simply believe it is carried out for the betterment of our children’s well-being. So, why do we need to think twice if it is to protect us?