This Weekend Indonesia Receives 4.4 Million Doses Of AstraZeneca Vaccine, All Donations From COVAX

Illustration. (Photo: Unsplash)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian government received more than 4.4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine this weekend to ensure that the community's vaccine needs are met. The AstraZeneca vaccine with a total of 4,435,200 doses arrived in three stages of arrival, namely 190, 191, and 192 stages.

"All the vaccines that arrived in these three stages are COVAX donations," said Director General of Information and Public Communication of the Ministry of Communications and Informatics Usman Kansong in his statement, quoted from Antara, Sunday, January 9.

The vaccine that arrived at the 190th stage totaled 1,252,800 doses as of Friday 7 January. Then the vaccine arrived again on Saturday in two stages, namely 1,852,800 doses in the 191st stage and the 192nd stage totaling 1,329,600 doses.

Usman said Indonesia has been actively establishing international and multilateral cooperation, including through the WHO Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator COVAX Facility.

COVAX or COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access is a global initiative aimed at equal access to COVID-19 vaccines globally.

According to Usman, through COVAX as well, Indonesia continues to actively campaign for equal access to vaccines for all countries in the world.

"Indonesia plays an active role in efforts to equalize access to vaccines for countries in the world," he said.

He ensured that in his homeland the vaccines that came would soon be distributed proportionally to areas in need, within the framework of the national vaccination program.

The government has also announced that this vaccination program will continue to be accelerated and expanded until it is targeted to be completed in 2022.

"Therefore, the continuous arrival of vaccines is very important in order to maintain vaccine stocks so that the vaccination program can run smoothly," he said.

In addition to guaranteeing the availability of vaccine stocks, acceleration efforts are also carried out by providing education to the public, especially regarding untrue news or hoaxes that are widely circulated.

He said that in some areas the hoax had slowed vaccination. People are made afraid and worried about the exaggerated and exaggerated effects of vaccination.

Usman ensured that the government guarantees the vaccine is safe and efficacious, the vaccination process is carried out and closely monitored, and anticipation has also been prepared in case of Post-Immunization Adverse Events (AEFI).

"The COVID-19 vaccine used is safe and efficacious, it has received permission from the POM Agency. Don't hesitate and delay vaccination just because you hear rumors or false news circulating," he said.

Not to forget that increased vigilance also needs to be done in line with the emergence of cases of the Omicron variant that have entered Indonesia. Therefore, the Government reminds the public to remain disciplined in maintaining health protocols.

"Increasing vigilance includes increasing the discipline of implementing health protocols, and immediately vaccinating any type of vaccine," he concluded.