With cases spiking and ICU beds filling up, it said these vulnerable groups must be protected because they are more likely to need hospitalisation should they contract the virus.

“The demand for ICU hospitalisation can increase rapidly if older persons at nursing homes and aged care facilities, registered and unregistered, are infected,” said MMA president Dr Subramaniam Muniandy in a statement.

“MMA warns that there can be a tsunami of patients from this category in public and even private hospitals if the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme neglects this group.”

As such, he urged that some AstraZeneca vaccine doses be reserved for these Malaysians, especially since the vaccine has been deemed by some European countries as being safer for older adults than younger ones.

“Also, it would be unreasonable for senior citizens in this category to go to a vaccination centre to receive the jabs,” he said, adding that if there is a shortage of manpower, the health ministry should enlist the help of private practitioners to administer the vaccine at nursing homes and aged care centres.

On Saturday, health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah explained that the uptick in ICU usage was due to a variety of cases, including the increasing number of young people developing severe symptoms due to new viral mutations.

He added that with a high community infection rate and more cases being detected outside of clusters, more people vulnerable to the virus’ effects are being infected and needing intensive care, and in some cases, ventilation.

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