President Jokowi's Message For People Who Are Stubborn In Refusing To Be Vaccinated With COVID-19

President Joko Widodo (Photo: Indonesian Cabinet Secretariat)

JAKARTA - President Jokowi emphasized that people who do not want to undergo COVID-19 vaccination will only harm themselves and others.

"Here there are those who don't want to be vaccinated? Yes? Everyone wants to be vaccinated, thank God, because if someone doesn't want to be vaccinated, they will not only harm themselves but also harm others," said President Joko Widodo at the Bogor Presidential Palace, reported by Antara, Friday, January 8th.

President Jokowi conveyed this in the provision of Working Capital Assistance (BMK) to around 60 micro and small entrepreneurs. The event was also attended by Minister of State Secretary Pratikno.

None of the business actors who heard President Jokowi's question raised their hands. "Vaccination is like immunizing children, just like that," the President added.

President Jokowi explained that vaccination can be a point to make Indonesia's conditions return to normal.

"One point, InsyaAllah, we will return to normal conditions because next week the vaccination will begin. I will be given the first injection, the test will then (after being vaccinated) doctors, nurses then the community," said the President.

Previously, it was reported that President Joko Widodo would be injected with the COVID-19 vaccine made by Sinovac on Wednesday, January 13, 2021 along with ministers and other relevant public officials.

"In January, as many as 5.8 million (people) were injected, but a total of 182 million people were injected, and twice the injections meant the vaccine needed 2 times 182 million people, nearly 400 million doses for the vaccine needs," said the President.

Although the vaccination will be carried out in stages, President Jokowi reminded that the situation has not returned to normal.

"Next week, the vaccination will start, but things will not return to normal immediately, so I entrust it to you and my mother to tell my neighbors, family and friends, to keep discipline in maintaining health protocols, wear masks, wash your hands after all your activities, keep your distance, you must be disciplined. , don't go to a place where many people are gathered, "said the President.

President Jokowi also reminded that the public should be grateful that Indonesia did not implement a regional quarantine or "lockdown".

"Alhamdulilah, we are still lucky not to have a 'lockdown', if in other countries such as Europe there was a 'lockdown' for 3 months, even 3 days ago in London, England it was 'locked down' again, Bangkok was also 'locked down', in Tokyo it was also an emergency, in Even though the activity is limited, they are still trying, even with strict health protocols, so you can still try, "said the President.

The government is known to have confirmed orders for 329.5 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from various manufacturers.

First from the Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinovac with 125.5 million doses; second from the US-Canadian vaccine manufacturer Novavax for 50 million doses; the third from the multilateral cooperation of WHO and the World Vaccine Alliance (Covax-GAVI) for 50 million doses; fourth from the British manufacturer AstraZeneca for 50 million doses; and the five combined German and US pharmaceutical companies Pfizer BioNTech with 50 million.