President Jokowi Realizes That The COVID-19 Vaccine Socialization Is Less Affective In The Community

Illustration/Vaccination for COVID-19 (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) admitted that the government's efforts to socialize the COVID-19 vaccine to the public were still not optimal.

"Regarding the socialization of vaccines, it is true, we are only explaining safe and halal vaccines. This is lacking in socialization," Jokowi said in the Presidential Secretariat Youtube broadcast, Saturday, February 20.

Jokowi said that the lack of socialization of the vaccine, said Jokowi, was based on reports that initially from 10 market traders who were asked about vaccination, only three people answered that they wanted to be vaccinated.

Until finally, the government held vaccinations at the locations where the traders were selling, namely Tanah Abang Market. Jokowi sees that when there are already vaccinated traders, only then are other traders willing to be vaccinated.

"Because one is brave, the second is brave, the third is brave, the other is following. The good one is there. Maybe this is because of psychology. This may lack socialization. So those who reject at first, will be accepting after we provide the place," said Jokowi.

Therefore, Jokowi will intensify the COVID-19 vaccination campaign in a persuasive way by word of mouth to lure the public to be interested in vaccine injections.

"I think later a word of mouth campaign will emerge. Because if we socialize on social media, they don't open social media. We explain on TV, they don't watch TV. It's difficult sometimes," he explained.

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 phase, the vaccine is intended for 1.5 million health workers. As of today, health workers who have received the first dose of vaccination are 73.47 percent and the second dose is 29.85 percent.

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, the National Army-the National Police, tourism officers, public services, public transportation workers, athletes, and media workers.

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