Good News, DKI Residents Who Are 18 Years Old And Over Can Now Be Vaccinated Using AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine

Illustration-Recipient of COVID-19 vaccine (Photo: DOK ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) has given the green light for the DKI Provincial Government to vaccinate against COVID-19 for residents aged 18 years and over in general.

This is stated in a letter from the Ministry of Health with the number SR.02.04/II/1496/2021 signed by the Head of the Health Human Resource Development Center (PPSDM) Agency of the Ministry of Health, Maxi Rein Rondonuwu.

"The DKI Jakarta Province can expand the target for COVID-19 vaccination to all residents aged 18 years and over", said Maxi, quoted in a letter on Wednesday, June 9.

Vaccination for residents 18 years and over using the AstraZeneca vaccine. However, at this time, the vaccination still prioritizes vulnerable groups that are included in stage 1, 2, and 3 vaccinations.

They are health workers, public service officers, the elderly, slum residents, residents in the COVID-19 red zone, and people with mental disorders who have not been vaccinated.

There is a reason why the Ministry of Health has allowed Jakarta to carry out vaccinations for people 18 years and over in general. Based on data on the development of COVID-19, the percentage of active cases in DKI during one week was 7.62 percent.

"This shows that the transmission of disease transmission in the DKI Jakarta province is still quite high", said Maxi.

Then, the implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination in the capital city has entered the third stage, targeting vulnerable communities. However, its implementation is still limited because it only targets residents who live in slum areas.

"DKI Jakarta Province is the nation's capital, where it is the center of government and national economic growth. So it is important to immediately suppress and control COVID-19 cases. One of them is by achieving herd immunity through the implementation of COVID-19 vaccination with high and equitable coverage", he explained.

Following up on this directive, the Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta, Ahmad Riza Patria, admitted that his party would immediately start the implementation of vaccinations for residents aged 18 years and over.

"Later, in the near future, the Health Service will arrange vaccinations for people over 18 years old", said Riza.