JAKARTA - Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said he would desperately pursue COVID-19 vaccinations for at-risk communities, especially the elderly.
"Indeed, the elderly are more difficult. My friends, who are doctors and nurses, and elderly parents who are invited to (vaccinate) don't necessarily want to," said Budi Gunadi Sadikin at the Commission IX Hearing Meeting (RDP) quoted by Antara, Monday, November 8.
According to Budi, a special trick is needed to get the elderly to be vaccinated against COVID-19, because the vaccination coverage is only around 42 percent.
The Ministry of Health cooperates with related elements such as the TNI-Polri, community groups, nature lovers such as Wanadri and Mapala to increase the rate of vaccination in the elderly.
"We will desperately pursue high-risk communities, especially the elderly," he said.
Medically, said Budi, vaccinations are given to people based on the risk of being hospitalized and most at risk of dying.
"The President also said that all the elderly must be pursued. Because if there is an increase later, these are those who enter the hospital and die and that is what happened in Europe and Singapore. Patients who were admitted to the hospital and died were the elderly who were not injected with the COVID-19 vaccine. 19 then infected," he said.
According to the Minister of Health, the same situation also applies to vaccinations for residents in remote areas because it requires special skills to be able to penetrate the area.
The Ministry of Health and related parties have found effective methods to reach vaccinations for the elderly and people in rural areas.
"People who have been difficult to enter, such as Madura, West Sumatra, Papua, Aceh are relatively difficult areas," he said.
However, with the help of the TNI-Polri and the nature lover community, said Budi, vaccinations can be reached by rural communities.
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