Booster Vaccine Recipients Reach 40.9 Million, Government Continues To Ensure 208.3 Million People Can Take Vaccines

JAKARTA - The COVID-19 Task Force (Satgas) reported that 40,942,530 people had received a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccination entering the H+2 of Eid Al-Fitr 1443 Hijriah. The number increased by 567,027 people.

Based on data from the Task Force quoted by Antara, Thursday, May 5, there was also an increase in the complete dose which has now reached 165,600,933, an increase of 174,677 people from the previous day.

Meanwhile, the first dose was reported to have reached 199,346,528 people and had not yet been added.

The government also continues to ensure that the 208,265,720 people targeted for vaccination have at least received the full dose to break the chain of transmission of COVID-19 in Indonesia.

Previously, the Spokesperson for the COVID-19 vaccination of the Ministry of Health, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, hoped that the booster dose vaccination rate would continue to increase in order to provide protection to the public when celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr in 2022 in the midst of a pandemic.

Nadia said the contribution of vaccination plays a very important role in controlling COVID-19 in the country. This is because the booster dose will provide additional antibody defense for the community.

The government has also targeted that the recipients of the booster dose will reach 80 percent of the target by the end of May 2022.

According to Nadia, all parties must remain vigilant following the potential for an increase in cases after long holidays or religious celebrations and learn from past experiences.

He said that the first wave of COVID-19 triggered by the Alpha variant occurred after the long Christmas and New Year holidays. Then the second wave with the Delta variant also occurs after the long holiday and Eid 2021. While the third wave with the Omicron variant, also occurs after the Christmas and New Year holidays.

"Of course, now is our test together to be able to pass homecoming, especially the 2022 Eid al-Fitr celebrations safely," said Nadia.

++