Receiving 60 Thousand Doses , DKI Jakarta Starts Vaccinating COVID-19 For The Elderly Today

The vaccinator injects the first dose of the COVID-19 Sinovac vaccine into a health worker (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - The DKI Provincial Government has started vaccination against COVID-19 specifically for the elderly today. This morning, DKI received an allocation of 60 thousand doses of vaccine for the elderly from the central government.

"We will immediately provide services to the elderly today because the vaccine arrived at dawn. We immediately prepare the location and will be distributed at the city level, then to the respective health facilities", Head of DKI Jakarta Health Office Widyastuti said in a virtual press conference, Friday, February 19.

Widyastuti said the COVID-19 vaccine for the elderly has a different dose from the first stage vaccine specifically for health workers.

The special vaccine for health workers uses a single dose, where one vial contains 0.5cc for one person. Meanwhile, the second stage vaccine for the elderly uses a multi-dose system.

"This vaccine has the same basic ingredients, but it is re-formulated by Bio Farma, its name is COVID Bio and is packaged in a bottle containing 5cc for 10 people, so it is multi-dose. In practice it is usually used for 8-10 people", he said.

Previously, DKI had also received 10 thousand doses of vaccine for market traders. Market traders are included in the target recipients of the second phase vaccine for public service officers.

Vaccinations for market traders will begin at Tanah Abang Market, Central Jakarta on Wednesday, February 17. DKI Jakarta Province has been appointed as a pilot for vaccination in the market, which is carried out in coordination with the Ministry of Health, Perumda Pasar Jaya, and communities in the market.

"The number of targets that have been recorded based on census data obtained from Perumda Pasar Jaya is 10,000 people. Alhamdulillah, the implementation went smoothly, orderly. The first day of vaccines was carried out for 1,404 people, the second day 1,412 people. It is not according to the daily target of 1,500 because of the results of health screening", said Widyastuti.

In the national COVID-19 vaccination program, the government is targeting 181.5 vaccine targets. They are people aged 18 years and over. Vaccine recipients receive twice the injection dose.

In the first stage, the vaccine is destined for 1.5 million. Then, in the second stage, COVID-19 vaccination is intended for the elderly and public service workers. The target is 21.5 million elderly and 16.9 million public workers. This program lasts until May.

They are market traders, educators, religious leaders and counselors, representatives of the people, officials, government, civil servants, TNI-Police, tourism officers, public services, public transportation workers, athletes, and media workers.

Furthermore, vaccination will be carried out to 63.9 million vulnerable people or people living in areas with a high risk of infection. Then, other communities as many as 77.7 million people. This program will be carried out from April 2021 to March 2022.