Reaching Herd Immunity, Thousands Of Salemba Prison Prisoners Not Having An ID Cards Are Finally COVID-19 Vaccinated

Residents of the Class 1A Salemba Detention Center (Rutan) queue up for the COVID-19 vaccination (Photo: Rizly Sulistio/VOI)

JAKARTA - A total of 1,124 residents of the Class 1A Salemba Detention Center in Central Jakarta was finally registered to participate in the first phase of the COVID-19 independent vaccination.

Of the 1,124 inmates, there are 111 who cannot be vaccinated with various health problems and citizenship status. Among them, 75 people have comorbidities, 12 are foreign nationals, 20 COVID-19 survivors, and the rest are declared free from detention.

Whereas previously, 1,124 inmates had problems with the first stage of vaccination because they did not have a population identification number.

Head of the Salemba Class 1A Detention Center, Yohanis Varianto, said the vaccination process for 3,224 inmates was divided into two stages. In the first phase, 2,100 inmates were vaccinated in the complete vaccination program.

"In the second stage, there were 1,124 inmates registered in the independent vaccination program. 111 inmates were not vaccinated for certain reasons. So in this second stage (independence vaccination), 1,013 inmates did not have ID cards who were vaccinated", he said when contacted by VOI on Sunday, August 15.

Yohanis also appealed that inmates who were free but had just taken the first dose of vaccination could come to the Salemba Detention Center to get the second dose. Or they can vaccinate at vaccination centers around their place of residence.

"With this COVID-19 vaccination, it is hoped that it can create herd immunity among the residents of the Salemba Detention Center", he said.