JAKARTA - South Sumatra Governor Herman Deru instructed all regional heads in 17 districts/cities to immediately use up all remaining doses of COVID-19 vaccine in storage centers (warehouses).
This effort aims to create group immunity so that they are not easily exposed to COVID-19, in which South Sumatra has in the last few weeks entered level 4 (high distribution rate) of cases exposed to COVID-19.
"The president has instructed the public as far as possible to be vaccinated with the remaining vaccines," said Herman Deru in Palembang, as reported by Antara, Monday, July 19.
Meanwhile, Head of the South Sumatra Provincial Health Office, Lesty Nurainy, said that the total allocation of vaccines distributed from the central government was not proportional.
Currently, the first dose of COVID-19 vaccination has reached 13 percent and the second dose of vaccination is only about three percent of the total population of South Sumatra.
The remaining vaccines stored in each district/city are 100,118 doses of Sinovac Biofarm vaccine. This is because the number of vaccines is not sufficient for all residents of South Sumatra.
Therefore, the government takes advantage of the remaining number of vaccines in each district/city, then with this vaccine the target community of vaccination gets the first dose of vaccine.
Then for the second dose injection, there will be an allocation of 67,900 doses of vaccine from the central government.
Although the time span between the first dose to the second dose has not been determined, it is certain that it can cause immunity by 50 percent.
That way at least have given antibodies while waiting for the second dose.
The hope is that this effort will provide 98 percent immunity for residents so that they are more confident in dealing with COVID-19.
"But still apply health protocols such as wearing masks and not crowding," he said.
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