Vaccination Strategy 70 Percent Of The Population Must Continue To Follow, Head Of ITAGI: The Pandemic Is Not Over Yet

Illustration of COVID-19 vaccination. (Photo via ANTARA/Ruth Intan Sozometa Kanafi)

JAKARTA - A total of 64,007,521 people have received the third dose of vaccination as of Saturday, October 8, at 12.00 WIB. This means that there are 49,077 daily additions from the previous data.

The COVID-19 Task Force also reported that the recipients of the second dose of vaccine on Saturday increased by 12,204 people, bringing the total to 171,310,100 since the vaccination program was rolled out.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian population who had received the first dose of vaccine had touched 204,690,338 people or an increase of 12,334 people.

The Indonesian government itself targets the vaccination target for 234,666,020 people.

Chairman of the Indonesian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (ITAGI) Prof. Sri Rezeki said that the COVID-19 vaccination strategy of up to 70 percent of the total population must continue to be implemented in all regions, including those experiencing a decline in cases.

"Currently, the pandemic has not been declared over, either by the World Health Organization (WHO) or the head of state," he said.

Meanwhile, Professor of Microbiology at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia (FKUI) Prof Amin Soebandrio said that booster doses of COVID-19 vaccination or boosters are still needed in the midst of the situation where cases are decreasing in various regions.

"In principle, we want to maintain antibody levels as optimally as possible in all residents, currently most of them already have immunity," said Amin Soebandrio.

He said the results of a serological survey to measure community antibodies against the risk of COVID-19 infection reported that 90 percent of the population in Indonesia had immunity obtained through vaccination programs and natural immunity after exposure to the Corona Virus.

However, Amin reminded the public, based on the results of research analysis, the immunity they have can decrease in the next few months.

The Indonesian Ministry of Health predicts that community immunity is currently expected to decline in early 2023.