Elderly Now Allowed To Receive A Second Booster Vaccine

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JAKARTA - The Ministry of Health has allowed the second dose of COVID-19 booster vaccination, or the fourth injection, to elderly people over 60 years of age. This is in anticipation of an increase in cases in recent times.

This policy is stated in Circular Number HK.02.02/C/5565/2022 concerning the 2nd COVID-19 Vaccination of Boosterosis for Elderly Groups. Effective from the time it was determined by the Director General of Disease Prevention and Control, Maxi Rein Rondonuwu on November 22, 2022.

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Health's COVID-19, M. Syahril, said the policy was carried out to provide additional protection for vulnerable groups, to reduce severity, and even deaths from COVID-19.

At the same time, the SE is also intended to encourage the Regional Government and health facilities for vaccination providers, both government and private, to carry out the second COVID-19 booster vaccination for the elderly.

The vaccine that can be used for the second booster dose is a vaccine that has received an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the POM and ITAGI recommendations and pays attention to vaccines available in each region, reported from the Ministry of Health website, Tuesday, November 22.

Vaccine registration that can be used for the second booster vaccination for the elderly:

1. Combination for the first booster Sinovac

AstraZeneca is given half dose (half dose) or 0.25 ml Pfizer is given half dose (half dose) or 0.15 ml Moderna is given a full dose (full dose) or 0.5 ml Sinopharm is given a full dose (full dose) or 0.5 ml Sinovac is given a full dose (full dose) or 0.5 ml Indovac is given a full dose (full dose) or 0.5 ml)

2. The combination for the first booster AstraZeneca given half dose (half dose) or 0.25 ml Pfizer given half dose (half dose) or 0.15 ml AstraZeneca given a full dose (full dose) or 0.5 ml

3. The combination for the first booster Pfizer given a full dose (full dose) or 0.3 ml Moderna given half dose (half dose) or 0.25 ml AstraZeneca given a full dose (full dose) or 0.5 ml

4. Combination for the first booster Moderna Moderna is given half dose (half dose) or 0.25 ml Pfizer is given half dose (half dose) or 0.15 ml

5. Combination for the first Janssen (J&J) Janssen (J&J) is given a full dose (full dose) or 0.5 ml Pfizer is given a full dose (full dose) or 0.5 ml Moderna is given half dose (half dose) or 0.25 ml

6. Combination for the first Sinopharm booster given a full dose (full dose) or 0.5 ml Zivifax given a full dose (full dose) or 0.5 ml

7. Combination for the first booster Covovax Covovax is given a full dose (full dose) or 0.5 ml

"As for the second COVID-19 booster vaccination for the elderly, it can be given at least 6 (six) months since the first booster was given, while for the elderly who have not received the first booster, we urge the elderly to ensure that the primary vaccination must be completed first," said dr. Syahril.

Furthermore, dr. Syahril emphasized that the acceleration of the second booster vaccination for the elderly goes hand in hand with the first primary and booster vaccinations. The implementation must also be evenly distributed throughout Indonesia, considering that there are still some areas where the coverage of primary and booster vaccinations is still below 70% of the population.

"Accelerating both primary and booster vaccinations needs to be done considering that most of the COVID-19 patients who died were people who had not been vaccinated, the elderly and people with comorbidities," said dr. Syahril.

For this reason, his party encourages regions whose vaccination coverage has not yet reached the target of group immunity, namely at least 70 percent of the population continues to be intensified.

dr. Syahril also invites people who have not been vaccinated or who have not completed the primary dose and booster, especially for the elderly, to immediately vaccinate at the nearest vaccination service post.

"Given the high risk factors, we appeal to people who have not been vaccinated or the vaccination is not complete, so that it is completed as soon as possible. Don't delay and don't be picky about vaccines, because the best vaccination is vaccination that is being carried out right now," said dr. Syahril.