Inga Inga ... Injecting COVID-19 Vaccine Will Not Cancel Your Fasting, Let's Succeed In National Vaccination

Illustration (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Spokesperson for the Task Force (Task Force) Handling COVID-19 Wiku Adisasmito emphasized that Muslim fasting will not be canceled even though they are receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

This is in accordance with the fatwa issued by the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) on March 16 regarding the law of vaccination against COVID-19 while fasting.

"This MUI fatwa decides that the COVID-19 vaccination through intramuscular injection does not cancel the (Muslim, ed) fasting," Wiku said in a press conference from the Presidential Secretariat YouTube account, Thursday, March 18.

He said that this fatwa was issued to provide certainty for Muslims who would participate in the national vaccination program in the month of Ramadan.

Furthermore, with this fatwa, he also asked all Muslims to participate in running the national vaccination program without worrying that their worship would be disturbed.

Moreover, vaccination is a way to realize community immunity as an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

"Muslims are obliged to participate in the national vaccination program carried out by the government," he said.

Previously reported, the national COVID-19 vaccination program is targeted to receive 181.5 million people. 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 for the elderly group and public service workers. The target is 21.5 million elderly and 16.9 million public officers. This program lasts until May.

They are market traders, educators, religious leaders and counselors, representatives of the people, officials, government, civil servants, TNI-Polri, 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 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.