Medan (ANTARA) - The Adam Malik Public Hospital in Medan, North Sumatra, has begun vaccinating health workers with the COVID-19 'booster' vaccine or the third dose from Moderna. "This COVID-19 'booster' vaccination drive was conducted in accordance with the central government's instructions to use the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, which is a grant from the Covax Facility, the United States," said Adam Malik Hospital Spokesperson Rosario Dorothy Simanjuntak in a written statement in Medan, Wednesday.

The third dose of vaccinations had started on Monday (August 2), targeting 117 health workers on duty at the Adam Malik Public Hospital, in Medan, she said.

For the next stage, the hospital's COVID-19 vaccination team has scheduled the third dose of vaccinations for 300 health workers until August 7, 2021, she continued.

Related news: Other cities should emulate Medan's drive-through vaccination model

"The injection of the 'booster' vaccination itself is targeted to be completed in early September 2021," she said.

Some 3,873 health workers at the Adam Malik Public Hospital had received the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and were eligible to receive a booster dose, Simanjuntak informed.

This number includes assistant health workers and supporting personnel who work at the hospital.

"The allocation of the Moderna vaccine received from the Health Ministry is 280 vials," the spokesperson said.

Fully vaccinated health workers in the country will be offered a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine or booster to strengthen their immune response, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin assured earlier.

The Health Ministry has issued the Director-General of Communicable Disease Prevention and Control’s Circular Letter HK.02.01/1/1919/2021 on the third-dose vaccination for all health workers, assistant health workers, and support workers involved in offering health service facilities.

Related news: Bali's Sanglah Hospital starts giving booster shots to health workers
Related news: Health workers to get Moderna vaccine booster, minister assures


Translator: Nur Aprilliana, Raka Adji
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2021