PUTRAJAYA: COVID-19 vaccine registration for dependents through MySejahtera application will be introduced in mid-March, said Coordinating Minister for the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme, Khairy Jamaluddin.

"The facility will enable chilldren to register their parents who do not have MySejahtera," said Khairy, who is also Science, Technology and Innovation Minister, in a press conference at the Putrajaya Health Office, Precinct 11 here today.

Khairy and Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba had earlier witnessed Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin receiving his COVID-19 vaccine shot at the health centre, marking the start of the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme.

Khairy said registration to participate in the immunisation programme through iOS, Android and Huawei platforms began yesterday and as at 2.45 pm today, 465,081 individuals have registered.

"Initially, there was an uproar on social media saying that only Apple users could sign up. This is not true. We had requested that the MySejahtera application be updated for all mobile operating systems (OS) but these platforms displayed the changes which have been made at different times" he said.

He urged those who have yet to download or update MySejahtera application, to do so to enable the COVID-19 Vaccination logo to be displayed.

"In short, you need to verify your information, answer some questions related to your health and press submit," he said.

He said the information sent would be cross-checked with the details collected on MySejahtera such as individual's health records from government or private health centres.

"Information received through the MySejahtera registration will be processed and a list of residents in Malaysia to be vaccinated will be drawn according to priority," he said.

Besides the MySejahtera application, registration could also be made via the vaksincovid.gov.my website and hotline from March 5 onwards he said, adding that manual registration would be introduced at government health clinics and hospitals.

"We will also organise outreach programmes where volunteers will be mobilised to help out in the rural and interior areas," he said.

The National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme which took off today is being implemented in three phases with Phase 1 from February to April 2021 for frontline workers involving 500,000 people.

The second phase of the programme will run from April to August, involving senior citizens aged 60 and above as well as vulnerable groups with morbidity issues and persons with disabilities, while the third phase is scheduled from May this year to February 2022 for all those aged 18 and above not vaccinated before.

The programme aims to provide immunisation against the COVID-19 infection to about 80 per cent of the country's population, both locals and foreigners.

-- BERNAMA