Bali Starts Vaccination Of Children Aged 6-11 Years

DENPASAR - The Bali Provincial Government has started to vaccinate children aged 6-11 years. Bali is included in the province that meets the criteria for implementing child vaccination.

Head of the Bali Province Information and Communication Communications and Statistics Agency (Kadiskominfos) Gede Pramana said this child vaccination will be carried out for provinces and districts and cities that meet two criteria, namely the coverage of the first dose of vaccination is above 70 percent and the elderly vaccination coverage is above 60 percent.

"The Governor of Bali Wayan Koster will be present at the kick off of the vaccination program for children aged 6 to 11 years in Bali on Wednesday (15/12), at SD 1 Besakih, Rendang District, Karangasem Regency and attended simultaneously by all regencies and cities in Bali. ," said Gede Pramana, Wednesday, December 15.

Based on the Ministry of Home Affairs' net consolidated data as of October 31, 2021, the total number of children aged 6 to 11 years in Bali is 398,743 people.

With details of Badung Regency 45,406 people, Bangli Regency 24,733 people, Buleleng Regency 85,070 people, Gianyar Regency 40,787 people, Jembrana Regency 31,773 people, Karangasem Regency 55,599 people, Klungkung Regency 20,034 people, Tabanan Regency 35,215 people and Denpasar City 60,126 people.

The government guarantees the safety of this vaccination with the recommendation of the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI) and a permit to use Sinovac's Coronavac vaccine has been issued for children aged 6 to 11 years by the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM).

Giving the Sinovac vaccine that already has an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), the child will be given two injections by intramuscular or injection into the muscles of the body in the upper arm, with an interval of at least 28 days and a dose of 0.5 ml.

"Children must be accompanied by their parents or guardians in the vaccine process. Prior to vaccination, screening must be carried out using a standard format by vaccination officers," added Gede Pramana.

The implementation of vaccination for children is in accordance with the Presidential Instruction to immediately carry out vaccinations for children 6 to 11 years old. Places for vaccination are Puskesmas, hospitals, or other health service facilities including vaccination service posts in schools or other educational units, or Community Social Welfare Institutions such as orphanages.

"This is really done because we want to accelerate the vaccination of all residents in Indonesia and also prevent the transmission of Covid-19," he said.

Gede Pramana invites the public, especially parents or guardians of children aged 6 to 11 years to participate in the success of this program in order to minimize the transmission of Covid-19, prevent severe symptoms due to infection and accelerate the occurrence of herd immunity in Bali.

"In addition, to support the acceleration of the implementation of face-to-face learning," he said.