COVID: Consumers can avoid dealing with anti-vaccine traders - Rosol

KUALA BERANG: Consumers have a choice not to deal with traders identified as being COVID-19 anti-vaxxers, said Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Deputy Minister Datuk Rosol Wahid.

He said this was because vaccination was extremely important towards flattening the curve of the COVID-19 infection in the country, especially since the traders were always interacting with members of the public.

"If there are any anti-vaxxers among the traders, we as consumers can refuse to deal with them. For example, if a chef is required to be vaccinated but refuses to do so or is an anti-vaxxer... we can refuse to deal with such people," he told reporters after getting his COVID-19 shot at the Kuala Berang Health Clinic here today.

Meanwhile, Rosol said the ministry also urged all 2,300 enforcement personnel from the ministry and traders nationwide to immediately register themselves for the vaccination programme since they are frequently interacting with the public.

Asked about the registration for COVID-19 vaccination via the MySejahtera application, which has been described as still being low, Rosol said talks on its importance should be held more comprehensively, including to senior citizens and rural folks.

"However, I see that this is not a problem in Hulu Terengganu. In fact, all the residents I met have said they intend to get vaccinated soonest possible. This includes the senior citizens ... if possible they want to be vaccinated as soon as possible," said Rosol, who is also the MP for Hulu Terengganu.

Coordinating Minister for the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme Khairy Jamaluddin had said that as of 11 am yesterday, only 6.1 per cent Malaysians, or 1,468,137 people, had registered for the vaccine jabs via the MySejahtera app.

-- BERNAMA