54 Percent Of Children In Penajam Paser Utara, East Kalimantan Have Received The Second Dose Of COVID-19 Vaccine

Officers prepare a COVID-19 vaccine to be injected into residents. (ANTARA)

EAST KALIMANTAN - Around 54 percent of a total of 18,983 children aged 12-17 years who were targeted for COVID-19 vaccination in Penajam Paser Utara Regency, East Kalimantan Province, had received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

"It has reached 54.2 percent (who) received the full dose (vaccine injection)," said Head of the Surveillance and Immunization Section of the Penajam Paser Utara District Health Office Meiske R Lahama in Penajam, Antara, Tuesday, December 7.

Meanwhile, children who received the first dose of the vaccine were about 60 percent of the target. Meiske said that the implementation of COVID-19 vaccination for children aged 12-17 years had been carried out since August 2021, in line with the implementation of face-to-face learning in schools.

"Vaccination for students is important in reducing the risk of serious illness if infected with the coronavirus, especially since school activities have started to run," she said.

Until now, the local government is still carrying out COVID-19 vaccinations for children aged 12-17 years in Penajam Paser Utara.

Data from the Health Service shows that overall the first dose of COVID-19 vaccination has been carried out on 87,404 people or 64.7 percent of the 135,017 residents who were targeted for vaccination in Penajam Paser Utara. However, the second dose of vaccination was only carried out on 64,097 people, or 47.4 percent of the target.

The Penajam Paser Utara District Health Office targets the COVID-19 vaccination coverage to reach 70 percent of the target by the end of 2021.

"We are optimistic that the vaccination achievement by the end of this year is on target," said Meiske.