31 Thousand Elderly In Riau Islands Have Injected Boosters, Only 56,125 People

Illustration of COVID-19 vaccination in Indonesia. (Antaranews)

KEPRI - A total of 31,003 elderly people (elderly) in the Riau Islands Province have undergone the third or booster dose of vaccination. That number means 35.58 percent of the injection target.

The Daily Head of the Riau Islands COVID-19 Handling Task Force Adi Prihantara said the number of elderly people who had not injected booster vaccines in Riau Islands was 56,125 people.

He appealed to the elderly to immediately inject booster vaccines to boost their immunity. Most elderly COVID-19 patients are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms after receiving booster vaccinations.

"That's a fact that happened in Riau Islands and various other areas," said Adi in Tanjungpinang, Riau Islands, quoted from Antara, Thursday, August 11.

The Riau Islands Regional Secretary reminded families to encourage their elderly parents, grandparents to immediately inject the COVID-19 vaccine.

The government, he said, made it easy for the public to get the vaccine, either at hospitals, health centers or at vaccination posts built in a number of public places.

"The elderly are a vulnerable group who are prioritized to get vaccines. We ask all elements of society to support this vaccination program," he said.

Spokesperson for the Riau Islands COVID-19 Handling Task Force, Tjetjep Yudiana, added that the achievement of the first dose of vaccination for the elderly group was 73,900 people or 84.82 percent and the second dose was 63,401 people or 72.35 percent. While residents aged over 18 years who had the third dose of vaccine were 697,369 people or 50.78 percent.

He reminded that the vaccine's effectiveness period had expired for residents who received the first and second doses of the vaccine last year. Therefore, residents have to re-vaccinate until the third time.

"Including me, we are still waiting for the fourth vaccine, because the effectiveness of the third vaccine has expired. I will inject the third dose of vaccine in February 2022," he said.

In general, the achievement of the first dose of vaccine was 1,776,799 people or 98.56 percent, while the second dose was 1,534,647 people or 85.13 percent, and the third dose was 697,369 people or 50.78 percent.

"We give our appreciation to BIN, TNI and Polri who have helped achieve vaccinations in various regions," he said.