KUALA LUMPUR – There has been no system manipulation by Selangkah in registrations for the AstraZeneca shot under the ImuniSel outreach campaign, said Khairy Jamaluddin.
The National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme coordinating minister said in a joint statement with Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari last night that ImuniSel was an initiative by the Selangor government to register vaccines offline for those who have difficulty accessing digital registration.
According to the statement, individuals who register for the vaccine through ImuniSel give their consent to be registered for the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme. However, AstraZeneca vaccine slot bookings are made voluntarily on an opt-in basis, upon each individual’s consent and understanding of the vaccine.
“Therefore, registrations for the AstraZeneca vaccine require consent separate from that for other vaccines offered under the mainstream national immunisation programme,” it said.
However, as registrations for the AstraZeneca vaccine were made by ImuniSel without informing the recipients first, there were some individuals who had vaccination appointments previously made under the national immunisation programme replaced by new appointments for the AstraZeneca vaccine.
“To overcome this issue, ImuniSel has agreed to hand over the name list of individuals who had been previously registered to be contacted by the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) to get their approval for the AstraZeneca vaccine.
“Affected individuals who do not agree with the new appointments will have their original appointment dates returned,” the statement said.
Amirudin and Khairy said that CITF also informed that there were several individuals who got their AstraZeneca vaccination appointments through registrations done by other parties, including their family members and employers.
“To solve this problem, an additional feature in the MySejahtera app will be developed in the near future to enable affected individuals, especially those who receive new appointments replacing their previous ones, to give feedback and get immediate solutions,” it said.
It said that Amirudin and Khairy had held a discussion earlier yesterday at the Malaysia International Trade & Exhibition Centre vaccination centre to find ways to resolve the issue and make plans to increase the daily vaccination rate in Selangor.
According to the statement, the Selangor government said that it would implement AstraZeneca registration for individuals registered under the campaign, and CITF also acknowledged and appreciated the efforts made by the state government and other parties to enable as many individuals in Malaysia, including in Selangor, to register under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme.
On the plan to increase daily vaccinations in Selangor, the statement said that both parties agreed to open mega-scale vaccine centres at several locations in the state, to be opened in stages beginning in the second week of June.
“Discussions have been conducted in a harmonious environment, and we have agreed to step up strategic cooperation between the Selangor government and CITF to enable the immunisation programme to proceed smoothly and orderly, thereby achieving the target of herd immunity,” the statement read.
The joint statement also said that special advisor to the prime minister on public health Tan Sri Dr Jemilah Mahmood and Selangkah representatives were present for today’s discussions. – Bernama, May 31, 2021