The third vaccine dose for health workers had a high potency and there could possibly be adverse effects following immunization (AEFI), he said.
To maintain the service capacity in hospitals, health workers are advised to receive the booster dose gradually to avoid staff shortages in case many workers experience AEFI at the same time, he said.
"If all health workers rest (due to AEFI), hospital services can go down," the mayor said.
For this reason, he said his administration has decided on the policy of vaccinating a third of medical workers in hospitals first and then immunizing others after a three-day gap.
Batam will begin administering vaccine boosters to health workers on Tuesday (August 10, 2021).
Related news: Tangerang health workers start receiving COVID-19 vaccine boosters
ANTARA has earlier reported that Batam is targeting to inoculate a total of 5,548 health workers under its vaccination drive.
So far, 8,964 health workers in the city, or 161.57 percent of the target, have got vaccinated. Some 8,725 health workers, or 157.25 percent of the targeted workers, have received the second dose, or have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin had earlier assured that vaccinated health workers in the country would be offered a third or booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to strengthen their immune response.
The Health Ministry has issued the Director-General of Communicable Disease Prevention and Control Circular Letter HK.02.01/1/1919/2021 on the third dose of vaccination for all health workers, assistant health workers, and support workers involved in offering health services at facilities.
Related news: Pekanbaru's 13,246 health workers to receive Moderna booster dose
Translator: Yuniati Jannatun, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
