Can't Access Care For Protection, 500 Prisoners In Padang Prison Are Still Injected With COVID-19 Vaccines

W Sumatra - The State Intelligence Agency (BIN) of West Sumatra (West Sumatra) held a third dose of COVID-19 vaccination (booster) for inmates at the Class II A Padang Correctional Institution (Lapas).

Hundreds of inmates seemed enthusiastic about participating in the vaccination which was held in the prison hall. They line up in an orderly manner.

"We continue to encourage vaccination in West Sumatra by collaborating with various parties to build community immunity, one of which is in prisons," said Head of West Sumatra Regional BIN Hendra in Padang, Wednesday.

He appreciated the enthusiasm shown by the inmates in participating in the vaccination, it was recorded in the activity that more than five hundred people received injections of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The majority of inmates who carry out the vaccination stage are injections for the third dose or booster.

His party appealed to the public, especially West Sumatra, to continue to be vigilant even though the COVID-19 case had started to sag.

Especially considering that the Ministry of Health has detected new subvariants of Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 in Indonesia.

"Indeed, in West Sumatra, COVID-19 is currently relatively low, but this cannot be separated from the acceleration of vaccinations that we continue to do," he said.

Meanwhile, Head of Class II A Padang Prison Era Wiharto said the current number of inmates was 1,058, of which around 500 people participated in the vaccine organized by BIN West Sumatra.

He said that 80 percent of the hundreds of inmates were in the third dose of vaccination, the rest was the first or second dose.

With the support of the West Sumatra Regional BIN, he said, it is hoped that the vaccination achievement for the inmates can be achieved. His party has also prepared a mechanism related to vaccine evidence for inmates.

"The inmates do not have a device (smartphone) to access the PeduliLindung application, so we have prepared a vaccine proof card that is attached to their respective files," said Era.

The vaccination card can be used by inmates when they leave Padang prison to return to the community.