Science Media Centre Malaysia is an information resource centre aimed at promoting accurate and evidence-based reporting especially on complex or controversial science issues in the media. We connect journalists to credible and articulate scientists from across various research fields. We also help scientists to communicate their research effectively and ultimately make science mainstream and accessible to the public.
The Academy of Medicine of Malaysia (AMM) urged the government to enforce mandatory quarantine in designated quarantine centres for Sabah returnees. It has been proven in other countries, such as China and Singapore where compliance rates are high, that home quarantines are not as effective in curbing spread.
Scientists at Oxford University had begun clinical trials on the coronavirus vaccine on April 23. The first human trial had recruited 510 healthy volunteers aged between 18-55 to test the new vaccine, called ChAdOx1 nCoV-19. This is following the successful test on macaque monkeys in late March. According to the university, in the "best-case scenario", any early sign whether the vaccine works on humans will be known as early as mid-June.
While there is a considerable amount of general information out there about the spread of COVID-19, very little is targeted at people who may be immunosuppressed, including people living with HIV. We speak to Dr Tommy Tong, Immunologist and Senior Lecturer at the Department of Biological Science, Sunway University to learn about the risks of infection and use of HIV antiretroviral drugs to treat COVID-19.
A recent research by Cambridge University found three different strains of the virus in different parts of the world. As COVID-19 continues to sweep across the world, one of the main concerns is whether the virus has since mutated. We asked experts to comment on its impact on vaccine development.
A team of Malaysian scientists is working around the clock to develop a local COVID-19 vaccine. We speak to MVP Executive Director Rashidah Ibrahim to get the latest update on Malaysia's vaccine development.
A group of Malaysian scientists will collaborate to develop vaccines for COVID-19. They will embark on the testing of existing local vaccines for Infectious Bronchitis virus (IBV), an avian coronavirus, against SARS COV 2.