Meanwhile, the number of people having received their first COVID-19 dose rose by 681,419 to reach 31,573,240 as of Saturday.
The government is endeavoring to expedite the national vaccination program to attain herd immunity and handle the COVID-19 pandemic.
To this end, the government is planning to vaccinate 40,349,049 people in the first and second phases of the national vaccination program. The targeted vaccine recipients comprise healthcare workers, public service officers, and senior citizens.
Earlier, the Drug and Food Control Agency (BPOM) had issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the COVID-19 vaccine produced by Moderna Inc. in Indonesia.
An EUA was issued for the Moderna vaccine based on the outcome of a study conducted by the Expert Team of the COVID-19 Vaccine Appraisal National Committee and the Indonesian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (ITAGI).
"BPOM’s task is to support the government in ensuring and evaluating that the vaccines used in Indonesia meet the aspects of quality, security, and efficacy," BPOM Chief Penny K. Lukito stated.
Overall, the government is seeking to vaccinate 181.5 million citizens, or 70 percent of the country's population, to create herd immunity against the virus.
To expedite vaccinations, the government has been making all-out efforts to increase the capacity of inoculation services.
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Translator: Asep Firmansyah/Suharto
Editor: Sri Haryati
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