Vaccination Of Children 6-11 Years Allowed, DKI Provincial Government Prepares Implementation Strategy

Deputy Governor of DKI Riza Patria/DOK VOI-Diah Ayu

JAKARTA - The DKI Jakarta Provincial Government will prepare a strategy for the implementation of COVID-19 vaccination for children aged 6 to 11 years, after being given the green light by the central government.

"With permission from the central government, we will meet again later, the Health Service has prepared the concept and strategy, as previously it was also over 12 years, now it is 6 to 11 years", said Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta, Ahmad Riza Patria, at DKI City Hall, Friday, December 10.

Riza admits that the vaccination mechanism for targeting children aged 6-11 years is more complex than for adults. Therefore, currently, the Health Office is still looking for a suitable vaccination location, and the Department of Population and Civil Registration (Dukcapil) Office is starting to record the children who will be vaccinated.

"The implementation is not as easy as for adults, so later we will arrange it. Whether it is at the health center, school, or other places in the GOR, later we will find the best one. Of course, later the health office and Dukcapil will record the distribution of children "Where are the most of these children", said Riza.

Previously, Minister of Home Affairs, Tito Karnavian, gave the green light to provinces and districts/cities to start vaccinating COVID-19 for children aged 6 to 11 years starting on December 24.

This is stated in the Instruction of the Minister of Home Affairs Number 66 of 2021 concerning Prevention and Control of COVID-19 at Christmas in 2021 and New Year in 2022.

"During the period of Christmas 2021 and New Year's 2022 on December 24 to January 2, we will start vaccinating children aged 6 to 11 years", Tito wrote in the Ministry of Home Affairs.

However, some conditions need to be met if the region wants to start vaccinating children aged 6-11 years. The requirement is that vaccination in an area has reached the target of at least 70 percent of the first dose of the total target and a minimum target of 60 percent of the first dose of the elderly.

Tito asked each regional head to accelerate the achievement of vaccination targets in their respective regions.

"The first dose reached the target of 70 percent and the second dose reached the target of 48.57 percent of the total target, especially vaccination for the elderly until the end of December 2021", he said.