In your pocket: Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba showing a vaccination card while Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin holds up his phone with the new vaccine feature on the MySejahtera app in Putrajaya. — Bernama
PETALING JAYA: The sudden appearance of a ‘Covid-19 vaccination’ feature in the MySejahtera app has raised queries as to whether the public can now register to receive free vaccine jabs.
Registration was supposed to begin from March 1 but some smartphone users were surprised to see the new feature in the app yesterday.
Sabahan Dymphna Lanjuran, 38, said she and a group of friends were informed that registration for the vaccine via the MySejahtera app had started.
“After checking our smartphones, I was the only one with the additional feature in the MySejahtera app, ” she said when contacted.
Dymphna, an artist-curator, said she was not surprised that registration for the vaccine had started much earlier.
“I registered my interest on the app and will wait my turn for the vaccine, ” she said.
Emma Nisha from Petaling Jaya, said she was surprised to find the “additional feature” after updating her phone software.
“The feature didn’t appear at first but only after I activated the updated version, ” she said.
Emma said she immediately registered for the vaccine although she knew she would not be vaccinated any time soon.
“I’m not a frontliner but it still feels good to know I’ve registered, ” said the 32-year-old teacher.
A Communications and Multimedia Ministry spokesman said registration for the vaccine had started but smartphone users needed to update the MySejahtera app for the new feature.
He said those who registered for the vaccine would be notified through the app, phone call or SMS if they were eligible.
The national Covid-19 immunisation programme will kick off today, two days ahead of the initial launch date, aimed at vaccinating 26.5 million people in the country.
The first phase will involved vaccination of some 500,000 medical and non-medical frontliners between February and April this year.
Under the second phase, about 9.4 million people in the essential services, senior citizens and high-risk groups with chronic diseases, will receive the jabs between April and August.
Another 13.7 million adults, aged 18 and above, will be vaccinated between May this year and February 2022.
There are five ways for the public to voluntarily sign up for the vaccination beginning next month.
Besides the MySejahtera app, the public can also register through the soon-to-launched hotline, www.vaksincovid.gov.my website, outreach programmes at rural and interior areas, and at public and private healthcare facilities.
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