Minister Of Health Budi Asks Local Governments To Prioritize Elderly To Be Vaccinated In Ramadan: They Will Be Visited By Many During Eid

Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin. (Photo: Doc. Capture the screen of the Presidential Secretariat)

JAKARTA - Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin asked local governments to prioritize vaccinations for elderly groups in the priority vaccination program.

Budi considers, in the month of Ramadan until the Eid Al-Fitr 1442 Hijri, there will be many people who want to meet their parents to carry out the Eid tradition.

"During Ramadan, the possibility that many families want to meet their parents is very high, so please make sure that this month, priority is given to vaccination for the elderly", Budi said in a YouTube broadcast by the Presidential Secretariat, Sunday, April 18.

At that time, the potential for transmission of COVID-19 from residents of productive age to the elderly will increase. Moreover, the elderly are a group that is prone to experiencing severe symptoms when exposed to the coronavirus.

"So that we can protect them when their families visit them, they have relatively better immunity", he said.

Furthermore, Budi advised the provincial and district/city governments to continue to carry out the second phase of vaccination for public service officers and the elderly during the fasting month.

"My message to all my friends in the region, regional heads, governors, regents, and mayors is to continue to run the vaccination program. The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has said that during the fasting month, vaccination does not break the fast so it continues", said Budi.

On this occasion, Budi also reminded residents not to be careless about health protocols when they have been vaccinated. This is because the potential for infection to residents who have received the vaccine still exists.

This can be seen from the surge in the wave of COVID-19 cases in a number of countries that have undergone vaccination programs, such as countries in Europe, India, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Chile, and Brazil.

"Do not let this vaccination program make us not alert. Our efforts so far have been in vain because of the surge, because we forgot and were less vigilant. Keep implementing health protocols", he concluded.