Mass COVID-19 Vaccination Is Being Held In Istiqlal Mosque, The Targeted Recipient Is 1.200 Religious Figures In One Day

Peaksanaan vaksin tokoh agama (DOK. Situs Secretariat Cabinet)

JAKARTA - In collaboration with the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag), the Ministry of Health is holding a mass COVID-19 vaccination for religious leaders. This activity was carried out in Basement 1, Istiqlal Mosque, Jakarta.

The activity, titled Religious Leaders Vaccination Week, will be held from Wednesday, February 23 to Saturday, February 27.

The target is 1.100 to 1.200 religious figures per day, ranging from Muslim, Christian, Catholic, Hindu, Buddhist, and Confucian religious figures.

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin who attended the event said the vaccine was not only for preventing COVID-19 but also for knitting togetherness amid differences.

"So it is not only vaccination for religious leaders but this vaccination is aimed at knitting togetherness of all diversity", said Minister of Health Budi as quoted from his statement at the Cabinet Secretariate, Wednesday, February 24.

Furthermore, he also said that the implementation of this vaccine will be a pilot project for implementation in other places. Moreover, currently, four million doses of vaccine have been distributed to all provincial capitals.

"There will also be three million more (distributed, red) by the end of this month and one of the targets to be vaccinated is indeed religious leaders. So later this will serve as a pilot project and hopefully, we can replicate it to the regions soon", he said.

Still, at the same event, the Minister of Religion, Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, appreciated the active role of religious leaders in the vaccination program. According to him, this vaccination is a form of synergy between state institutions, the Ministry of Religion, and the Ministry of Health, together with religious leaders in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.

"This is a form of synergy in dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak which has occurred in Indonesia for almost a year. The active role of religious leaders should be appreciated. Hopefully, this can increase public awareness in continuing to support this vaccination program together", he said.

The religious leaders who are vaccinated, he continued, can also be role models for the people in making the vaccination a success. In addition, the Minister of Religion also hopes that religious leaders can socialize the importance of the COVID-19 vaccine.

"Because actually religious leaders have an important role in society in taking a persuasive approach so that the vaccination program can run smoothly and the pandemic will end soon", said Yaqut.

The Minister of Religion again reminded the importance of disciplined application of health protocols in dealing with this pandemic.

"This is the first vaccination. Even though they have been vaccinated, I hope that religious leaders will remain disciplined in health protocols and comply with the 5Ms protocols, namely wearing masks, washing hands, maintaining distance, reducing mobility and interaction, and avoiding crowds", he concluded.