Nurses Recipient Of Second Booster Vaccine Half Of 1.9 Million Health Workers

UNSPLASH ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - The General Chair of the Indonesian Nurses Association (PPNI) estimates that the number of members targeted for the second booster dose of COVID-19 vaccination is half of the 1.9 million health workers (nakes) in Indonesia.

"The exact figures are in the Indonesian Ministry of Health, but about 50-60 percent of the 1.9 million health workers are nurses in all health care facility settings," said Harif Fadillah, confirmed by ANTARA, Friday, July 29.

Harif said the vaccination was carried out at every health service facility and at the COVID-19 vaccination service post provided by the government starting today Friday.

"Because the distribution of vaccines from the health office to all health facilities is carried out in each health facility, PPNI urges all members to take the second booster vaccine," he said.

Harif said the Directorate General of Disease Prevention and Control of the Indonesian Ministry of Health had issued Circular Letter No. HK 02.02/C/3615/2022 regarding the 2nd Booster Dose of COVID-19 Vaccination for Health Human Resources.

This is because health Human Resources (HR) are a group that has a high risk of being exposed to COVID-19, as well as considering the increasing number of health workers infected with COVID-19.

Based on PPNI's internal monitoring to date, Harif said, as many as 1.736 nurses in Indonesia were exposed to COVID-19, generally the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants which now dominate in Indonesia.

"To all members, let's strengthen our resilience by maintaining and maintaining personal health, complying with health protocols at work or wherever we are," he said.

Harif also advised all members to hasten to take part in the second booster vaccination considering the COVID-19 pandemic still exists.

"Don't be careless to stay at the forefront," he said.