Vaccination Phase Three Begins, This Is The Government's Reason To Prioritize RW Slum Communities

ILLUSTRATION / BETWEEN

JAKARTA - The government has begun implementing the third phase of vaccination targeting other general public. Meanwhile, the first phase of vaccine for health workers has been completed and the second stage for the elderly and public officials is still running.

Vaccination spokesperson from the Ministry of Health, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, said that the target of the third phase of vaccination is 140 million people.

Unfortunately, the dose of vaccine currently available is not sufficient to be injected at once. Therefore, the government determines the priority groups in the third phase of vaccination.

"Of the general public, there are approximately 140 million targets, we need to know that this vaccine is not available at one time. So, we have to determine who we can give first," said Nadia in a virtual press conference, Tuesday, May 18. .

Nadia said, there are a number of criteria that can classify the priority of vaccine recipients. They are a vulnerable group from a geospatial aspect. Second, in terms of economic and social aspects.

Thus, the community groups that are the priority in the third phase of vaccination are residents in slum RWs or densely populated settlements. "Those whose economy is down, then socially less fortunate, this is what we prioritize," said Nadia.

Not only that, the third phase of vaccination prioritizing vulnerable groups also targets groups with disabilities and people with mental disorders.

Nadia said there was no specific vaccine type selection in this third stage of vaccination. The government will use whatever vaccines are available.

"There is a Sinovac vaccine, we use it. AstraZeneca vaccine, we will use it. Later we will also use the Novavax and Pfizer brands. We will also use those brands or types of vaccines," explained Nadia.

One of the provinces that has started to carry out the third phase of vaccination is DKI Jakarta. Jakarta is a pilot project for vaccination of vulnerable groups. The third phase of vaccination in the capital city has been running since May 5, 2021. There are already 142 thousand people in slum RWs who have received the first dose of vaccination.