Booster vaccinations will commence on January 1, 2022. Currently, we are preparing the strategy because booster vaccinations will multiply our vaccine needs
Central Java (ANTARA) - Third dose vaccinations or 'boosters’ for the general public will be commenced on January 1, 2022, Deputy Minister of Health Dante Saksono Harbuwono has said.

“Booster vaccinations will commence on January 1, 2022. Currently, we are preparing the strategy because booster vaccinations will multiply our vaccine needs,” he said here on Friday.



Two strategies are being prepared for administering booster vaccines to the general public: BPJS Health Contribution Assistance Recipients (PBI) will be given the vaccines free of charge and non-PBI recipients will be given paid booster vaccinations.

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Booster vaccinations will involve private healthcare facilities, while the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the National Police (Polri) will be involved as vaccinators in the government’s health facilities to continue second dose vaccinations, he said.



He affirmed that the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with academics, is conducting a statistical analysis test of the serosurvey.



"A serosurvey is a way to see the number of antibodies in a person who has been infected with COVID-19 or has been vaccinated. It will be able to identify the level of immunity in the community," he explained.

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The results of the serosurvey will guide more in-depth government policies regarding technical guidelines and the implementation of booster vaccination for the public, the deputy minister added.



To boost immunity against COVID-19, the Indonesian government launched a nationwide vaccination program on January 13, 2021.



According to data provided by the Health Ministry, as of December 10, 2021, nearly 145,085,912 citizens have received their first COVID-19 shot, while 101,794,596 have been fully vaccinated against the virus.



Earlier, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) had asked his administration to prepare booster vaccinations, which are planned to be administered to Indonesians starting January 2022.


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Translator: Andi Firdaus, Raka Adji
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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