PETALING JAYA: MySejahtera app users who have the latest update have given the new features the thumbs-up but hope that it can be made more user-friendly.

       The new features, which include the check-out button and display of the vaccination status and Covid-19 risk of the app user at one glance, were introduced to improve contact tracing, as part of the nation’s efforts to prepare its transition to the endemic phase.

       Chew Pow Choon, 54, a Selangor-based lawyer, is pleased with the update.

       “The addition of the checkout button is a good move by developers, as it can help determine individuals’ time spent at specific locations.

       ‘However, as it is still a new feature, people may tend to forget to check out after leaving the premises,” Chew said.

       Ng Juien Yi, 24, a mechanical engineer from Selangor, said the MySejahtera app is more user-friendly with the refreshed interface of the check-in display.

       “My grandmother finds it easier for her to navigate the app now, thanks to the convenience of having both vaccination and risk status displayed upon check-in,” said Ng.

       In a tweet on Sept 2, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the updates would make it easier for people to live with Covid-19, together. The MySejahtera app will continue to be further updated and improved over the coming weeks, he added.

       Netizens have also voiced their opinions on social media regarding the app’s latest update.

       “Such a huge improvement! Kudos to our Health Minister and the MySejahtera team for listening to us. Thank you so much for making it easier for all of us to detect anti-vaxxers,” a user tweeted.

       Twitter user @calmaglar said, “A thought: MySejahtera should automatically check out of a place after 1 hr (or prompt us) – Me who forgot to check out of the laundromat yesterday because I had hands full of clothes and brain figuring out what to tapau for dinner.”

       He later elaborated that the app should efficiently use GPS data and tracking to monitor and log movement, instead of relying on users to manually check out.

       Some members of the public are still concerned about some of the app’s underlying issues, and are urging the MySejahtera team and the Ministry of Health (MOH) to address their concerns before continuing to unveil new features.

       A 56-year-old entrepreneur, who only wished to be identified as Joshua, registered his 81-year-old mother, Wong, for vaccination under his MySejahtera account. Upon completion of her two doses, Wong’s vaccination certificate appeared on his phone.

       Even after Joshua bought a smartphone for his mother to register for her own MySejahtera account, Wong’s vaccination certificate remains with Joshua, and does not appear in her account.

       “To combat this issue, I currently send my mother a screenshot of her vaccination certificate for when she needs to head out of the house alone to buy groceries.

       “Many people like me, who registered for their elderly parents’ vaccination, are also facing this same issue,” Joshua added.