Tighten checks on MySejahtera status at all premises - Khairy

ALOR SETAR: There is a need to tighten checks on the MySejahtera application status of individuals at all premises, especially supermarkets, to ensure those placed under the Home Supervision Order (HSO) do not gain entry.

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said his ministry had detected non-compliance of the HSO because there were still individuals found checking in at supermarkets despite being in the quarantine period.

"In Kedah, in just one week, there were 523 MySejahtera check-ins (to premises) who were COVID-19 positive or high-risk individuals placed under home quarantine.

"A total of 18 per cent of the (523) check-ins occurred in supermarkets, so we ask that supervision at entrances be tightened because they (quarantined individuals) managed to check in, which means the security guards are not checking their MySejahtera properly... they are just letting them in," he told a media conference in conjunction with his working visit to Kedah at Wisma Darul Aman here today.

Meanwhile, on the COVID-19 vaccination status in Kedah, Khairy said his ministry had asked for efforts to be intensified to ensure about 17 per cent more of adults in the state received their vaccine jabs.

Khairy said attention should be given to residents in several districts which still recorded low vaccination rates, such as in Pendang and Baling.

"We need the cooperation of community leaders to ensure those who still refuse to be vaccinated to come forward and we seek the enforcement of the standard operating procedure (SOP) for vaccination to be tightened... (for example) the mosque committee must check thoroughly (before allowing the congregants to enter)," he said.

He said his ministry had also asked all employers to tighten procedures at workplaces by allowing only fully vaccinated individuals to return to work.

Khairy added that, for now, the supply of vaccines at every vaccination centre in Kedah was sufficient, in fact, excessive.

"In a lot of areas, we have reached a stage where there are more vaccines doses than recipients... so, we have to really outreach, go check on the hardcore (anti-vaccine) group... focus on this group," he said.

Meanwhile, he said that more than 180,000 teenagers in Kedah would begin receiving their vaccine shots from tomorrow at the vaccination centres or schools and his ministry expects the process to be completed within a month.

-- BERNAMA