"Vaccination is safe. Even if unexpected serious risks occur, the government is ready with precautionary measures to handle the situation," Asmoro stated in a virtual press statement in Jakarta on Monday.
The spokesperson revealed that every health service already entails the presence of a person in charge or a contact person, always at the observation table at every vaccination post.
Moreover, the vaccination card always bears the name and details of the contact person for the health worker.
Furthermore, Asmoro reminded the public to always exercise discipline in adhering to health protocols and supporting the 3T (testing, tracing, treatment) measures after vaccination, as the COVID-19 pandemic has not ended.
"Although we have been vaccinated, stay disciplined in following the 3M measures and supporting 3T. Let us contribute to the success of the vaccination," Asmoro stated.
The Indonesian government had earlier distributed seven million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for the first phase of vaccination of the elderly in the country that will commence next week.
Almost 70 percent of the seven million doses of the vaccine will be delivered to Java and Bali that recorded the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the country, the Health Ministry's spokesperson for COVID-19 vaccination, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, remarked.
The vaccination program will commence in five municipalities in Jakarta and capitals of 33 provinces in Indonesia next week.
"In addition to all municipalities in Jakarta, the vaccine will be administered to the elderly in 33 provincial capital cities, such as Bandung in West Java, Denpasar in Bali, Medan in North Sumatra, and Makassar in South Sulawesi," she noted.
The cities were accorded priority in the vaccination program due to the limited vaccine stocks while the COVID-19 caseload in each of the provincial capitals is still high.
Vaccination of the elderly against coronavirus is one of the strategic programs in handling the COVID-19 pandemic.
Head of the COVID-19 Task Force, Doni Monardo, remarked recently that the elderly are a group vulnerable to contracting COVID-19 after the group of healthcare workers.
The Food and Drug Control Administration (BPOM) has issued the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for Sinovac's COVID-19 vaccine, Coronavac, for the group of people aged 60 years and above in Indonesia.
The BPOM had issued the permit on February 5, with two doses of each injection, and each dose administered at an interval of 28 days. Related news: Govt claims declining trend in COVID-19 cases among health workers
Related news: Jokowi upbeat about drastic increase in daily COVID-19 inoculation
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Translator: Rangga Jingga, Azis Kurmala
Editor: Suharto
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