Many Elderly Still Hesitate To Get Vaccine Injected, Minister Of Health: Look At The Vice President, Vaccine Is The Earliest

Vice President Ma'ruf Amin (Photo by Setwapres RI)

JAKARTA - Vice President Ma'ruf Amin explained that the government's priority is to boost vaccination for the elderly. But on the one hand, there are still many elderly people who are worried about the safety level of the vaccine.

"The elderly must be quickly protected because many died. Therefore, the elderly (attempts) to be immediately vaccinated against the first and second doses. That is a priority," said the Vice President at the Vaccination Center in collaboration between the Kompas Group and the Press Council in Bentara. Culture, Jakarta, Thursday 23 September.

The Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, said that one of the factors that caused the slowness of vaccination coverage for the elderly was the concern about the safety of vaccination. Therefore, it is necessary to approach the elderly about the safety of this vaccination.

"Please make sure that the vaccination is safe. If you don't believe it, look at the Vice President. He was vaccinated at the earliest and it was safe," said Budi.

Ma'ruf Amin and Wury Ma'ruf Amin have indeed received the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Previously, the first dose was given on Wednesday, February 17, 2021. The second dose of vaccination was carried out a month later at the Vice President's Official Residence, Jl. Diponegoro No. 2 Central Jakarta.

Back to Ma'ruf. He said, although nationally the number of active cases continues to decline, the government is still trying to achieve the target of 208 million vaccination targets. This is one of the government's steps in anticipating a spike in cases again or a third wave due to the new variant of COVID-19.

"The way to handle it (the third wave), which is to continuously stick to 3M (wear masks, maintain distance, and wash hands). Second, the government continues to carry out tracing, testing, and treatment (3T) and isolation. And also carry out vaccinations. We We will continue to strive to reach 208 million people, until we reach herd immunity," he said.