The target vaccine recipients in Medan city is more than 1.9 million people; 65.25 percent of the targeted recipients have been vaccinated
Medan, North Sumatra (ANTARA) - COVID-19 vaccination coverage in Medan city, North Sumatra, has currently reached 62.25 percent, Medan Mayor Bobby Afif Nasution has said.



"The target vaccine recipients in Medan city is more than 1.9 million people; 65.25 percent of the targeted recipients have been vaccinated," the mayor informed while monitoring a mass vaccination program held by the Communication Forum of Indonesian Veterans' Children (FKPPI) of North Sumatra at the TPI Polonia Class I Immigration Office here on Saturday.



Nasution said he believes that the number of targeted Medan residents eligible to receive the vaccine will increase since the Ministry of Health is currently reviewing the possibility of administering COVID-19 vaccines to children under 12 years.



"We are still waiting for the plan to vaccinate children aged under 12 years old; the limit is up to children aged five years. There has been a discourse (regarding the plan). We will continue to follow it up with the Ministry of Health," he affirmed.



The Medan city government is currently boosting vaccinations so that community immunity or herd immunity can be reached quickly in the city to aid nationwide efforts to contain the pandemic.



"Today, one thousand doses of Pfizer vaccine were administered during the vaccination held by the FKPPI," the mayor informed.



Medan residents are being administered Sinovac and Pfizer vaccines, he said.



"In Medan, there are already two vaccine brands, Sinovac and Pfizer, which are being provided to the community. For health workers, there is also Moderna" he informed.



In a bid to boost immunity against COVID-19, the Indonesian government launched a nationwide vaccination program on January 13, 2021. President Joko Widodo was the first recipient of the program.



According to the Health Ministry's data, as of October 23, 2021, nearly 112,271,928 citizens have received their first COVID-19 vaccine dose, while 67,165,732 have been fully vaccinated against the virus. (INE)



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Translator: Juraidi Andika, Raka Adji
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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