The Cause Of Thousands Of Teachers In Pekanbaru Delayed Vaccination For COVID-19

President Joko Widodo spoke to a number of teachers while reviewing the implementation of the mass vaccination which was held at the Youth Sports Center, Marpoyan Damai District, Pekanbaru City / Antara

JAKARTA - The Pekanbaru City Education Office (Disdik) reported that thousands of teachers in the area had delayed their COVID-19 vaccination because they had comorbidities.

"There are about 10 percent of teachers who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19, because they are sick, blood pressure rises, some have high sugar, heart problems and all kinds of things. This is what has not been done," said Pekanbaru City Education and Education Head Ismardi Ilyas in Pekanbaru, quoted by Antara, Thursday, June 3rd.

Ismardi said, with the postponement, the Pekanbaru City Education Office would continue to encourage teachers to be vaccinated, after they had undergone treatment and deserved it according to health standards.

"Thousands of teachers who have not been injected with this vaccine are only experiencing a temporary delay. They will definitely be vaccinated until their health improves and they meet the requirements," he said.

Ismardi ensured that these teachers will have to be vaccinated before the new school year in mid-July 2021 because there is a plan for the Ministry of Education and Culture to open all levels of education in that school year.

"So before going into teaching all teachers in Pekanbaru have been completely vaccinated," he said.

For the needs of the COVID-19 vaccine, he continued, the Education Office had proposed a request to the Pekanbaru Health Office (Diskes) for 11,000 doses.

However, he still urges disciplined teachers to apply health protocols, both those who have been vaccinated and those who have not.

Even because they have been vaccinated, he said, people can still catch COVID-19 if they neglect to apply the 5M, namely wearing masks, washing hands, maintaining distance, avoiding crowds and preventing interaction mobility.

"Let the teachers be an example of progress in the community, as role models for the success of the government's efforts to suppress the transmission of COVID-19 to zero," said the Head of Education and Culture.