JAKARTA - Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin asked regional heads and health workers to focus on providing COVID-19 vaccines for the elderly.
This is because people who are now being treated in hospitals due to exposure to COVID-19 are those who are over 60 years old.
"For all regional heads and health workers, please concentrate on giving vaccines to the elderly", Budi said in a press conference broadcast on the Presidential Secretariat YouTube account, Friday, March 26.
Vaccination for the elderly, he continued, is expected to provide protection. So, even if they are exposed, these elderly people will not experience anything fatal.
"God willing, if it has been given, if there is anything else that goes to the hospital that dies will be decreased. Because those who generally enter the hospital and die are the elderly", he said.
"If we can immediately vaccinate those over 60 years of age, there will be very little pressure on our hospitals and health workers", Budi added.
Previously reported, the COVID-19 vaccination program targeted 181.5 million recipients. Those targeted are people aged 18 years and over. Later, vaccine recipients will receive twice the injection dose.
Overall, this national vaccination will be carried out from April 2021 to March 2022 and consists of several stages.
In the first phase, the vaccine is intended for 1.5 million health workers. In the second stage, COVID-19 vaccination is for the elderly and public service workers. The target is 21.5 million elderly and 16.9 million public workers.
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. This program lasts until May.
Furthermore, vaccination will be carried out for 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.
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