Orange County’s Vaccine App Is Voluntary, Says Health Official

Orange County Health Care Agency Director Dr. Clayton Chau speaks on the opening day of a COVID-19 vaccination site at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa, Calif., on March 31, 2021. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

After an uproar of 215 public commenters speaking during a recent Orange County Board of Supervisors (BOS) meeting, county officials are reiterating to the public that the upcoming vaccine verification program is voluntary.

“I really respect people’s freedom to voice whatever their opinion is, whether it be anti-mask, or anti-vaccine, because that’s the beauty of our country ... you have a freedom of choice,” Orange County Health Care Agency (OCHCA) director Dr. Clayton Chau told The Epoch Times April 16. “That’s the piece that I was trying to tell people; that I’m not mandating anybody to get the vaccine.”