False information saying that elderly with comorbidities should not get vaccinated because they will experience unpleasant side effects has made them hesitant to get vaccinated.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The low vaccination coverage among the elderly can mostly be attributed to hoaxes, Spokesperson for COVID-19 Vaccinations for the Health Ministry Siti Nadia Tarmizi said at the online Merdeka Barat Forum on Thursday.

“False information saying that elderly with comorbidities should not get vaccinated because they will experience unpleasant side effects has made them hesitant to get vaccinated,” she remarked.

In fact, people over the age of 59 are at a bigger risk of developing severe COVID-19 symptoms or even death if they are not vaccinated, she cautioned.

Just 43 percent or around 9.3 million people out of the 21.5 million targeted elderly recipients have received the first vaccine shot, the spokesperson informed.

Meanwhile, the government has guaranteed the availability of vaccines for the elderly since they have become priority recipients, Tarmizi said.

Vaccinations for the elderly have been implemented since March 2021, while younger citizens have not had access to vaccinations yet, she noted.

"Hence, we carried out a number of innovations. For instance, if a younger person took two elderly people to get vaccinated, the young person could also be vaccinated,” Tarmizi disclosed.

Furthermore, only Jakarta, Bali, Yogyakarta, and Riau Islands provinces have administered the first COVID-19 jab to 50 percent of their elderly population, she added.

Related news: Third vaccine dose can protect elderly from COVID variants: ministry

Meanwhile, in other provinces, the first dose coverage among the elderly has reached just 30 percent of the target, she informed adding, there are also areas where the vaccine coverage is even lower.

"In Aceh, West Sumatra, and Papua provinces, the vaccination rate for the elderly is very low — still under 20 percent," the spokesperson noted.

She then expressed the hope that the first dose vaccination for the elderly would be completed by the end of 2021.

Meanwhile, Dr. Dirga Sakti Rambe, an internist, said that the elderly needed to be convinced by their own friends that the COVID-19 vaccine is not dangerous, including for those suffering from chronic diseases.

“People with any disease, including chronic ones -- for instance diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and cancer -- can be vaccinated as long as their condition is under control," he emphasized.

Hence, he urged the elderly to regularly visit the doctor. If they have no significant complaints and the doctor has issued a letter of recommendation, the elderly can get vaccinated, he said.

Related news: South Sumatra to accelerate vaccination of senior citizens


Translator: Sanya Susanti, Uyu Liman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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