Deputy Minister Of Health: Booster Vaccination Starts On January 1, 2022

Deputy Minister of Health Dante Saksono Harbuwono in Boyolali/PHOTO VIA ANTARA

BOYOLALI - Deputy Minister of Health Dante Saksono Harbuwono said the COVID-19 booster vaccination or booster dose for the general public is scheduled to start on January 1, 2022.

"The booster vaccination will start on January 1, 2022. We are currently developing several strategies because this booster will double the need for vaccine spending," said Dante Saksono Harbuwono in Boyolali Regency, Central Java, quoted by Antara, Friday, December 11.

Dante said there are two strategies for providing booster vaccinations to the general public, namely targeting Health Social Security Administration (BPJS) Contribution Assistance Recipients (PBI), which will be given free of charge and paid booster vaccinations to non-PBI communities.

The booster vaccination injection involves private health care facilities, while the National Armed Forces (TNI)-National Police (Polri) are involved as vaccinators at government-owned health care facilities to fulfill the second dose of vaccine.

Dante said the Ministry of Health and academics are currently conducting a statistical analysis test of the serosurvey. "Serosurvey is a way to see the number of antibodies in someone who has been infected with COVID-19 or has been vaccinated. It will identify the level of immunity in the community," he said.

He added that the results of the serosurvey will determine more in-depth government policies regarding technical guidelines and implementation of booster vaccination in the community.