Jokowi Asks For Booster Vaccination Coverage To Be Improved, Minister Of Health: Accelerate Stock Of COVID-19 Vaccines In Many Regions

Murals in Indonesia to encourage others to face the COVID-19 pandemic. (Between)a

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has asked for the implementation of booster doses of COVID-19 vaccination so that the coverage can be increased quickly.

This was conveyed by Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin after attending a limited meeting chaired by the President at the Presidential Office, Jakarta, Tuesday, May 31.

"Mr. President conveyed that this booster (vaccination coverage) is only 25 percent. So that the booster (vaccination) is increased because we have now given 412 million doses (vaccines), the first dose has also exceeded 200 million," said the Minister of Health. .

According to the COVID-19 vaccination data published on the Ministry of Health's official website on Tuesday afternoon, the new booster dose vaccination covered 45,672,972 people or 21.93 percent of the COVID-19 vaccination target of 208,265,720 people.

The first dose of vaccination and the second dose of vaccination have been recorded for 96.16 percent and 80.39 percent of the COVID-19 vaccination target, respectively.

The Minister of Health revealed that according to the results of a sero survey conducted by the Ministry of Health in March 2022, giving a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccination was effective in increasing the body's immunity.

"The booster increases immunity or the strength of the antibody or the level of the antibody is multiplied, so it will greatly protect (the body from attacks by viruses that cause disease)," he said quoting Antara.

In addition, the Minister of Health said that the implementation of COVID-19 vaccination services must be intensified so that vaccine supplies can be immediately distributed, not piling up in storage areas and risking expiration before being used.

"The President's directive is also at the same time to accelerate the stock of vaccines which are abundant in the regions now to be immediately (distributed to) apply a booster," he said.

As of April 2022, Indonesia has received 474 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, consisting of around 130 million doses of grant vaccines or donations and 344 million doses of vaccines purchased by the government.