Riau Islands Receive 100 Thousand Dose Of Sinopharm Vaccine From Singapore's Temasek Foundation

TANJUNGPINANG - The Riau Islands Provincial Government (Kepri) has again received 100 thousand doses of the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine from the Temasek Foundation, Singapore.

"At the end of this month we will get 100 thousand doses of vaccine from Singapore. We just have to wait for the shipment from China," said Riau Islands Governor Ansar Ahmad in Tanjungpinang, quoted by Antara, Friday, September 10.

Based on the results of clinical trials, two doses of Sinopharm vaccine had 79 percent efficacy against COVID-19 symptoms. Antibodies will form 14 days after receiving the second dose of vaccine.

He appreciated the vaccine assistance provided by neighboring countries. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Singapore has been aggressively assisting Riau Islands in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, starting from handing over masks, PCR swab test kits, oxygen cylinders to ventilators.

With this additional vaccine assistance, Ansar said, it will accelerate the target of achieving 100 percent vaccination by the end of 2021.

After that, it is hoped that group immunity has been formed so that in 2022 the government can focus on restoring the economy affected by the pandemic.

He said that currently the achievement of the Riau Islands COVID-19 vaccination is far above the national level. Riau Islands is ranked third in Indonesia in terms of vaccination achievement after Jakarta and Bali.

As of September 9, 2021, the achievement of the first dose of vaccination was 77.23 percent or 1,060,709 people, and the second dose was 39.04 percent or 536,154 people.

Meanwhile, for the 12-17 year age group, the first dose was 74.13 percent or 153.933 people and the second dose was 28.64 percent or 59,475 people.