The COVID-19 Task Force: Vaccination Is More Effective In Protecting Communities When The Transmission Rate Declines

Spokesperson for Task Force (Task Force) COVID-19 Wiku Adisasmito (DOK BNPB)

Jakarta - Spokesperson for the Task Force (Task Force) Handling COVID-19 Wiku Adisasmito said the COVID-19 vaccine would be more effective in protecting the community if it was carried out when the spread of the virus was under control.

"Vaccines are more effective at protecting the public when vaccination is carried out in more controlled conditions where the transmission rate is low," Wiku said in a press conference broadcast on the YouTube account of the Presidential Secretariat, Tuesday, January 5.

According to him, if the vaccine is given in a condition where the rate of transmission is still high, the chances of not achieving community immunity or hearing immunity will be even greater. So, reflecting on this, he asked the public to keep implementing health protocols with strict discipline.

Moreover, the government is currently preparing a vaccination plan for all people in the country.

"Currently the government is preparing vaccinations, but it needs to be remembered, people should not be careless," he said.

Previously reported, the government plans to carry out the first phase of the vaccination program this January. At this stage, it is planned that vaccinations will be given to health workers.

In addition, although currently the Sinovac vaccine imported from China is waiting for an emergency use authorization (UEA) from the Food and Drug Administration (BPOM), this vaccine has been distributed to various regions in Indonesia. The goal is that this vaccine can be given as soon as the license is issued.

Indonesia is known to have received 3 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine made by Chinese pharmaceutical manufacturer Sinovac. The vaccine arrived in two batches, namely as many as 1.2 million doses on December 6, 2020 and 1.8 million doses on December 31, 2020.

In administering this vaccine, President Joko Widodo is scheduled to be the first to receive it on January 13 and this has been confirmed by the Head of the Presidential Secretariat Heru Budi Hartono.

"The president will be vaccinated on Wednesday, January 13 and the procedure for the process will be discussed on Friday, January 8," he said.

According to Heru, President Jokowi will undergo vaccinations with other parties. "So whoever may have representatives and the process (will be discussed), the steps are not arbitrary," he said.

"On Friday we discussed who the representatives from the community, the TNI," he added.