Initially, we had expected that in December 2021, we could reach 80-percent coverage of the first dose and 60-percent coverage of the second dose.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia is likely to achieve 80-percent coverage of the first dose of COVID-19 vaccination in mid-January of 2022, spokesperson for COVID-19 Vaccination of the Health Ministry Siti Nadia Tarmizi stated.

"Initially, we had expected that in December 2021, we could reach 80-percent coverage of the first dose and 60-percent coverage of the second dose. However, it seems like the target will be achieved in the middle of the second week of January 2022," Tarmizi noted in a virtual discussion on curbing the Omicron variant transmissions here on Friday.

Currently, on an average, Indonesia administers 1.1 million to 1.2 million COVID-19 vaccination doses each day, the spokesperson noted.

Hence, according to the ministry's website, as of December 24, 2021, coverage of the first dose had reached 74.79 percent, or 155,772,337 people.


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Meanwhile, 52.93 percent, or 110,231,929 people, had received the complete doses.

Thus, Indonesia has achieved the World Health Organization’s target on the vaccination coverage that requires all countries to have 40 percent of their population to be fully vaccinated by the end of 2021.

However, the government has planned to reach 60-percent full vaccination coverage by the end of December 2021. Hence, the attempt still needs to be accelerated, as it is estimated that Indonesia will only reach about 54-55 percent of the full vaccination coverage at the period.


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Furthermore, vaccination of the elderly must be expedited since it has only reached 61 percent of the first vaccination doses to date.

Vaccination is one of the keys to curb the transmission of any COVID-19 virus, including the Omicron variant, in addition to conducting strict health protocols as well as the testing, tracing, and treatment (3T) program.

Thus, the public is urged to get vaccinated soon, maintain their compliance with health protocols, and reduce their mobility.


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Translator: Martha Simanjuntak, Uyu Liman
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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