IPOH, April 14 — An allegation that a senior citizen developed a side effect on his skin after being injected with a Covid-19 vaccine at a health clinic in the Kuala Kangsar as had gone viral on social media is untrue because he was confirmed to be actually suffering from shingles.

Perak Health Department director Datuk Dr Ding Lay Ming said the senior citizen turned up alone at the Padang Rengas Health Clinic for a follow up treatment for his chronic illness "Dyslipidemia” on April 6.

She said the medical officer found out that the senior citizen had never received a Covid-19 vaccination during the consultation session in the treatment room.

"Since he had logistics problem and would find it difficult to come back to the clinic again if he had to turn up for the second dose, the medical officer counselled him on the single dose CanSino vaccine.

"He agreed to receive the shot and had signed a Covid-19 vaccination consent form and was vaccinated on the same day,” she said in a statement here today.

Dr Ding said the senior citizen then returned to the Padang Rengas Health Clinic with a next-of-kin on April 8 at 3pm complaining of rashes on the left side of his chest, neck and shoulder.

She said the patient was then referred for further treatment at the Dermatology Specialist Clinic of the Taiping Hospital on Monday.

"The dermatologist had conducted an examination and taken samples for the ‘Tzanck Smear’ laboratory test and the outcome was positive. He was confirmed to be suffering from the ‘Herpes zoster’ or shingles and was given antiviral and painkillers,” she said.

Dr Ding said the patient was also given a follow-up appointment date at the specialist clinic on May 19 and his condition was stable and he was given outpatient treatment.

On Sunday, a Twitter user claimed that the senior citizen suffered from side effects of the Covid-19 vaccine after being forced to get vaccinated at a health clinic in Kuala Kangsar. — Bernama