Malaysians relieved to get vaccination appointments via MySejahtera app

KUALA LUMPUR, July 13 — The most exciting news Malaysians aged 18 and above can receive currently is getting their COVID-19 vaccination appointments via the MySejahtera app.

Checks by Bernama at vaccination centres in several states revealed happy recipients who expressed their relief and thanks for having received their vaccination shots, many of them urging others to step forward for their own shots and not to be fooled by fake news about vaccinations.

In PERAK, a frontliner who had been infected by COVID-19 early this January felt relieved after receiving his first vaccination shot at the newly-opened vaccination centre at the General Operations Force Northern Brigade Clinic today.

Sergeant Kamaluddin Saiman, 55, said he had to turn down his first appointment after being infected by the virus for 21 days and being fully treated at the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital in Ipoh.

“After spending five months recovering fully from COVID-19 and waiting for my vaccine appointment, my wife and I got our shots today. I’m really thankful because as a former COVID-19 patient, what I fear most is that this virus is infectious so I need to protect my family and myself,” he said.

Kampung Tanjung Lengkong villager, Abdul Malik Yahya, 48, was grateful to hear that his mother Zainun Jaffar, 83, got her vaccination appointment immediately after registering manually through a community programme implemented in Selama state constituency.

“I felt surprised and happy when my mother got a call to get her vaccination although previously we had registered her on MySejahtera app but had yet to get the call, so efforts like this must be continued to help the rural population register for their vaccinations,” he said.

In MELAKA, Rubiah Mamat, 65, initially rejected the vaccination after listening to various negative rumours about the bad side effects of vaccination as she worried about complications due to her having diabetes, hypertension and GERD.

Yet after listening to her youngest child, who is a health officer at a clinic in the state, she decided to go ahead with it.

“There have been all sorts of rumours and allegations in social media about the side effects of vaccination but after I got my shot, nothing bad happened to me for the past three weeks. So, don’t listen to rumours or hearsay, instead seek out the Health Ministry and get proper information,” she said.

An Orang Asli resident in Kuala Langat, SELANGOR Pusing Anak Datching,60, did not understand what a vaccine was till her four children explained and convinced her to get vaccinated.

Pusing, hailing from the Pulau Banting Orang Asli village, said she decided to register on MySejahtera app as a vaccination recipient today after understanding the benefits of the vaccination. 

In SARAWAK, Christine Junior, 21, said all COVID-19 vaccines were proven to be safe and that people should not deceived by fake news questioning their effectiveness.

Christine, who lives in Kampung Jambu, has completed both vaccination shots at Bra’ang Bayur health clinic, Padawan and admitted that some of his friends were still hesitant about being vaccinated as they were swayed by fake news spread on social media.

“Therefore, I shared my experience receiving the first shot with them…I felt nothing and suffered no bad side effects, actually I felt relieved after waiting several months to get vaccinated,” he said.

In KELANTAN, Maziani Mohd Ghazali, 55, said his daughter Norhidayah Wahida Mat Lawi, 30, a person with disabilities (PwD) was so eager to be vaccinated today.

“Norhidayah, who is mute, got up as early as 6 am this morning to get ready for her vaccination. She isn’t fussy although she is physically disabled yet she understands the importance of getting the COVID-19 vaccination,” he said when met by reporters at the vaccination centre in Padang Pak Amat mosque here.

— BERNAMA