West Java Turns Schools Into COVID-19 Vaccination Centers

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION VIA ANTARA

BANDUNG - The West Java (Jabar) Provincial Government will turn schools and Islamic boarding schools into vaccination centers in August 2021.

Through the addition of the vaccination center, West Java Governor M Ridwan Kamil hopes that herd immunity will be achieved more quickly. To achieve herd immunity, 70 percent of West Java's population must have been vaccinated.

"Starting in August, we have prepared schools and Islamic boarding schools to be used as vaccination sites", said Kang Emil, Ridwan Kamil's nickname, quoted by Antara, Tuesday, July 27.

The governor explained that schools and Islamic boarding schools were effective in accelerating the West Java vaccination target.

"If there is an adequate place for the boarding school and school for a vaccination center, it can be done and in the end, it will also reduce deaths", said Kang Emil.

Therefore, he asked clerics throughout West Java to help accelerate vaccination by providing proper vaccine socialization and education.

The Governor of West Java explained the performance of the central and regional governments in distributing social assistance, which is currently a concern for the community during Emergency Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM).

According to him, the government is currently distributing social assistance from 13 financial gateways.

Ridwan Kamil asked the ulema and religious leaders to calm the public so that the social situation in West Java remained safe and conducive.

"Please also help calm the community because we also continue to provide social assistance and try, whether it's normal (data) or new affected data", said Kang Emil.

"Hopefully the ulema and umara can strengthen each other in this condition", he concluded.

Meanwhile, Deputy Governor of West Java Uu Ruzhanul Ulum together with the West Java Regional Police Chief Inspector General of Police Ahmad Dofiri reviewed the mass vaccination campaign at the Miftahul Huda Manonjaya Islamic Boarding School, Tasikmalaya Regency, yesterday.

According to Mr. Uu, greeting Uu Ruzhanul, West Java residents are generally quite enthusiastic about mass vaccination activities every time it is held in a number of cities/districts. He also appreciated the awareness of West Java residents on the importance of vaccination in an effort to minimize the impact of exposure to COVID-19.

"Indeed, the vaccine in West Java is considered lower than other provinces. But the population of West Java is almost 50 million people. If we look at our number, there are more (vaccinated), but other provinces have less than 10 million", he said.

According to Uu, with the assistance of the National Armed Forces (TNI/Polri), it is hoped that 80 percent of West Java residents will be vaccinated. This is important so that herd immunity is achieved immediately.

From the central government, continued Uu, approximately 10 million doses of vaccine have been received. It has also been distributed as much as 90 percent to cities/districts.