JOHOR BARU: Most people who are against the Covid-19 vaccine do so because they received the wrong information, especially through the social media.
This was what the Civil Defence Force (APM) discovered when they engaged the public about the vaccination drive currently taking place nationwide.
Johor APM director Colonel Kamal Mokhtar said APM personnel have been deployed to help disseminate the correct information on the vaccine so that more people would register for the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (NIP).
''Most people that we met said they were afraid or refuse to be vaccinated because of what they read on social media, which turned out to be either false or inaccurate.
''That is where we have to play our role to convey the correct information to these people. We would also assist them, especially the elderly, to register for the NIP,'' said Kamal.
He was commenting on a statement by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Special Functions) Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof that 10,000 APM personnel would be deployed to help with the registration for the NIP.
Kamal said 50 APM personnel in each district would be deployed to help in this initiative, which has already started.
He also said that 450 APM personnel in Johor have been listed to receive the vaccine in Phase 1 of the NIP.
''These are personnel who are directly involved in Covid-19 management including those assigned at Covid-19 treatment centres and those transporting Covid-19 patients,'' said Kamal.