Despite initial rejection, Orang Asli community responds well to vaccination programme

JASIN, Aug 14  -- An elderly Orang Asli who had initially refused to take the COVID-19 vaccination, finally opened his heart to take his first jab of the vaccine today.

Dolah Rochok, 60 of the Temuan people, said he should have received the first dose of the vaccine on July 14 but refused to go as he felt scared due to misleading information about COVID-19 vaccines.

Dolah finally agreed to take the vaccine after being persuaded by his children who explained to him the importance of vaccination to prevent COVID-19 infection.

"If I was not so gullible in believing empty talk and unconfirmed news about the vaccines, I would have received two doses by now.

"When I heard stories (about the vaccines), I was afraid to get vaccinated, but today I found out that it did not hurt at all, it was all done quickly,” he told reporters when met at the Alamanda Hall vaccination centre (PPV) at Jasin Municipal Council (MPJ) here, today.

Dolah, who hails from Kampung Solok Terentang, is among 44 Orang Asli from the Jasin district who received their first dose of vaccine today.

Meanwhile, Malini Latif, 23, said she was misinformed by untruths about COVID-19 vaccines that had been circulating on social media apart from gossips about the alleged effects of the vaccines, causing her to refuse to take the vaccine.

Only after seeing her family members did not experience any bad symptoms as alleged by the stories that she had read on social media did she was convinced to get her COVID-19 jabs.

"It's true that I was scared because I believed what I read, but when my husband and my own parents are fine and healthy (after getting their jabs), I came to my senses.

"I now realize that vaccines are very important for us to protect ourselves.  It is risky to go anywhere (if you are not vaccinated) especially when you have a small child like me as my child will be directly exposed to danger," she added.

Meanwhile, Alor Gajah and Jasin District Orang Asli Development officer Adzrien Ab Rahim said so far, the vaccination rate among the Orang Asli community in Jasin has reached nearly 70 per cent, adding that the community responded well towards the vaccination programme despite being initially reluctant.

-- BERNAMA