Be responsible.
With alarming COVID cases each and every day for Malaysians, citizens are urging each other to get vaccinated.
However, not all citizens are found encouraging each other. A tweet shared by user @tengkunurlissa shows a Malaysian spreading false information regarding COVID vaccines, going as far as to claim that the Ministry of Health (MOH) is falsely reporting the number of cases every day.
In the two minute and twenty-second long Instagram story (recorded and shared on Twitter), the netizen cites claims from a doctor from her mother’s company that stated that the vaccine can cause blood clots. She even gave an example as experienced by the late national archer, Haziq Kamaruddin.
The video continues with her saying that the MOH did not share this particular detail with members of the public.
“If they tell you, you’ll be afraid to take it (the vaccine).”
This conspiracy continues with her quoting her doctor to her followers:
“…if it’s possible, tell your friends to not take it.”
She continued to even go as far as to say that the MOH has been lying about the number of cases.
The Instagram story has received an overwhelming amount of backlash on Twitter, with users slamming her for sharing incomplete and incorrect information. After all, a quick check online is all it takes to debunk the claims that the user has made. The Jabatankuasa Khas Jaminan Akses Bekalan Vaksin Covid-19 (JKVAV) has detailed information on the vaccine, its effectiveness and possible side effects.
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With regards to the passing of national archer Haziq Kamaruddin, the Health Ministry has said that there is no evidence of a link between his passing and the Covid-19 vaccine.
With that being said, it’s no wonder that netizens are slamming the Instagrammer for failing to fact-check her claims. This user said: “Because of people like this it spreads fear for others to take the vaccine. Stupid. Can’t you tell the difference between side effects?”
Some have even called others to report her account for spreading false information:
Following the heavy backlash, she released another story acknowledging her mistake. She also revealed that her mother had told her to ignore the comments as a result of her stories and to play dumb instead.
Following MORE backlash, she has since released an apology statement on her Instagram account, including an apology on behalf of her mother and the doctor she mentioned in the video.
It’s difficult to manage this virus, but another battle we should acknowledge is the war against fake news. Be careful with what you share on social media and through messages. Always check your sources, and ensure to cross-reference them with credible portals. Jawatankuasa Khas Jaminan Akses Bekalan Vaksin COVID-19 (JKJAV)’s Instagram account as well as that of the Ministry of Health actively addresses concerns and posts information on the current COVID-19 situation and the vaccines. Be a responsible Malaysian and stop the spread of fake news.
*Cover Image Credits: Instagram
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