Bad News For The Residents Of West Sumatra, Booster Vaccines Can't Be Done Because Of This Problem

Photo via Antara

JAKARTA - Giving the third dose of vaccine or booster for the people of West Sumatra can not be done. The reason is that the achievement of vaccination has not yet reached the national target, 70 percent for dose I.

"The requirements to be able to give this booster vaccine dose I have to be 70 percent and the elderly 60 percent. Currently, only two regions have met these requirements, namely Sawahlunto City and Mentawai Regency," said Head of the West Sumatra Health Service, Arry Yuswandi in Padang, Wednesday, January 12.

He said the booster vaccine was taken from vaccine supplies that were still available in areas with a predetermined scheme.

According to the scheme, booster vaccines do not have to be linear. This means that people who have received the Sinovac vaccine twice can be given the Pzifer vaccine according to the established scheme. But there are also those that must be linear.

"We just received the booster vaccine scheme last night. Two regions that have met the requirements can give the third dose of vaccine according to the scheme," he said, quoted from Antara.

Meanwhile, for people in 17 other districts and cities in West Sumatra, giving booster vaccines must wait for the achievement of vaccination according to the set target, namely 70 percent for dose I and 60 percent for the elderly.

However, Arry said there were exceptions for the elderly who had received two vaccine injections. For them, they can get a booster vaccine without having to wait for their domicile area to meet the achievement target first.

"Especially for the elderly who have had two vaccines, they can immediately get a booster vaccine," he said.

Previously, President Joko Widodo, through the Seskab's youtube account, said that booster vaccinations or the third dose for the Indonesian people were given free of charge or without any fees. Jokowi confirmed that the booster vaccination will start on Wednesday (12/1).

Meanwhile, Professor of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Indonesia, Prof. Tjandra Yoga Aditama, said that the administration of a booster vaccine or a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine was needed to control COVID-19 cases, including the Omicron variant.

"Giving a booster is certainly good and immediately used by those who have had this opportunity. Omicron cases continue to increase in the world and in Indonesia. Of course we hope that the increase in cases can be controlled," he said via email.