500 Doses Of Booster Vaccine Stock In Bekasi Regency

BEKASI - The Regional Pharmacy Technical Implementation Unit of Bekasi Regency, West Java recorded that the stock of antibody booster or booster vaccines in the area was running low, even some brands of vaccines were not available to be distributed to health facilities.

"We only have 500 doses of AstraZeneca booster vaccine. For Pfizer and Moderna, they have been used up yesterday", said Head of the Bekasi Regional Pharmacy Technical Implementation Unit, Bayu Biharussyfa, in Bekasi, as reported by Antara, Monday, March 28.

He admitted that he had sent a request for the allocation of a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine to the West Java Provincial Government and hoped that it would be distributed soon to meet the vaccination needs of the community.

"We are still waiting for the delivery from the province, until today we have not received the delivery schedule", he said.

Head of Health Resources of the West Java Health Office, Juanita Paticia Fatima, said the provincial government had received a letter requesting the allocation of the vaccine in question from several regions, including Bekasi Regency.

Her party has also followed up the application for additional booster dose vaccine allocations submitted by the district/city governments throughout West Java in coordination with the Indonesian Ministry of Health.

"We have submitted it to the Ministry of Health, later when it is approved I will convey it", she said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Spokesperson for the Bekasi Regency COVID-19 Handling Task Force, Masrikoh, admitted that she was continuing to intensify the booster dose COVID-19 vaccination activity even though it only used one vaccine brand.

"As of last weekend, there were still around 6,380 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine with an expiration date of April 1, 2022, for vaccination in all Puskesmas (public health center)", she said.

Masrikoh acknowledged that the public's interest in taking booster doses of vaccination was very high after Indonesian President Joko Widodo announced that the vaccination was a requirement for this year's Eid homecoming trip.

"Hopefully we will get the booster vaccine distribution soon so that the implementation of this vaccination can be maximized so that it can meet the requirements for residents who will travel back and forth for Eid", she said.