Jayapura city's vaccination rate currently stands at 49.7 percent, while that of Mimika and Jayapura districts is recorded at 48.6 and 46.4 percent, respectivelyJayapura, Papua (ANTARA) - The Papua Health Office has said it is striving to vaccinate residents in regions that will co-host this year's PON National Games as the average vaccination rate for the regions remains at 49.25 percent.
Jayapura city and the districts of Jayapura, Mimika, and Merauke are scheduled to host the multisport event in October this year.
Merauke district has been the first region in Papua province where the vaccination rate has reached 52.3 percent, head of prevention and control of diseases at the Papua Health Office, Aaron Rumainum, said.
"Jayapura city's vaccination rate currently stands at 49.7 percent, while that of Mimika and Jayapura districts is recorded at 48.6 and 46.4 percent, respectively," he informed in Jayapura on Thursday.
The vaccination rate in Keerom district, which will function as a buffer zone during the convening of the PON National Games, has been recorded at 32.9 percent, he said.
The authorities will continue the vaccination program in Jayapura city and the districts of Jayapura, Mimika, Merauke, and Keerom until the end of September or prior to the kickoff of the multisport event, Rumainum said.
To reach the targeted vaccination rates, at least 5,202 vaccines need to be administered per day in Jayapura city; 2,575 in Merauke; 2,121 in Jayapura; 3,962 in Mimika; and 1,039 in Keerom, he informed.
Papua has come under the spotlight of Indonesia's media outlets as it is scheduled to host this year's PON National Games and National Para Games (Peparnas).
The PON National Games will be held in Jayapura City and the districts of Jayapura, Mimika, and Merauke from Oct 2-15, while Peparnas will be held from Nov 2-15.
At least 6,400 athletes and 3,500 officials from 34 provinces across Indonesia are expected to participate in Papua's PON National Games that will feature 37 events.
Meanwhile, 1,935 athletes and 740 officials will take part in the National Para Games in Jayapura city and Jayapura district that will feature 12 events.
To ensure the safety of athletes and officials participating in the PON National Games and National Para Games, President Joko Widodo has urged the concerned agencies to inoculate all athletes.
The head of the state has also instructed local residents living in proximity to all venues of the sporting events and athletes' villages to get vaccinated, according to Youth and Sports Minister Zainudin Amali.
To this end, the Papua administration has planned to integrate the mobile application developed for these multi-sport events with the PeduliLindungi App, an application for COVID-19 contact tracing.
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Translator: Hendrina DK, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Sri Haryati
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