"Of the 157,934 residents targeted for COVID-19 vaccination, as many as 104,103 people or 65.93 percent have received the first dose of the vaccine," spokesperson for the West Bangka COVID-19 Task Force, M. Putra Kusuma, said in Mentok, West Bangka, on Monday.
He said the high vaccination rate has been achieved through the efforts of the vaccination team, which has actively and tirelessly provided vaccinations to people in remote areas.
Additionally, the National Defense Force and police have played an important role in boosting the vaccination rate by expediting information and urging the public to take part in the vaccination program, he informed. Thus, they were worthy of appreciation, he added.
At least 64,135 people, or around 40.61 percent of the target, have received their second vaccine dose, Kusuma informed.
As of the end of October, 1,255 of the 1,242 targeted health workers, or 101 percent, have received their third vaccine dose, he said.
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As for the entire Bangka Belitung Islands province, 722,467 people, or 63.5 percent of the targeted 1,137,824 people, have received the first vaccine dose, while the second dose had been administered to 471,936 people or 41.48 percent of the target, he said.
In Bangka Belitung, 81.93 percent of the 11,099 targeted health workers who have been injected with the vaccine have received booster shots, he said.
The vaccination rate in West Bangka has been achieved rather quickly in terms of acceleration, and it also had been delivered according to the target, Kusuma said. It would continuously be pushed by installing many vaccination outlets in all health service units, schools, and strategic locations, he informed.
"We are working with the National Defense Force and Police Force to expedite information or counseling to people so that they can take an active role in the success of this government program as an effort to increase self and group immunity," he said.
He said the task force will also continue to handle and care for patients who have been confirmed positive until they recover or complete the quarantine period, he added.
"The number of cases in this area continues to decline. Even today, there are no new cases. So the number of isolated patients is still 17 people, while the number of recovered patients has increased by 6 people to (a total of) 5,427 people, and patients who have died has increased by one person to (reach a total of) 138 cases since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic so far," he informed.
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Reporter: Donatus D P, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Suharto
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