This should be a warning to us all in order to prevent the Omicron from entering and affecting the people
Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA) - The Papua provincial government has urged the local COVID-19 handling task force to help expedite vaccinations after the Christmas 2021 and New Year 2022 holiday period.

In connection with the acceleration effort, the Papua provincial government has also issued the Papua Governor Circulation Letter that will be in effect until February 2022, spokesperson for the Papua COVID-19 Handling Task Force Silwanus Sumule noted.

"One of the points within that circulation letter is the acceleration of vaccinations within regions," he informed here on Wednesday.

According to Sumule, there are still regions with low vaccination coverage. Hence, the local COVID-19 task force should promptly coordinate with the health office to expedite vaccinations, he said.

"This should be a warning to us all in order to prevent the Omicron from entering and affecting the people," he added.

The COVID-19 task force has so far not detected any Omicron infection in Papua. However, precautionary measures against the new variant should be seriously considered by all parties, he said.

"Precautionary measures against the Omicron variant of COVID-19 are important for all related parties, especially after the Christmas and New Year holiday," he affirmed.

"This is needed so that the rise in cases (seen) during August 2021, after Eid al-Fitr, will not happen again at the beginning of 2022," he explained.

Earlier, the central government urged regions with low vaccination coverage or regions that have not reached their target to make extra efforts to increase vaccinations, Health Ministry's vaccination spokesperson Siti Nadia Tarmizi said.

This is could be done by edifying and encouraging people who are still hesitant to get vaccinated, she added.

"Especially for the elderly, who are included in the vulnerable and high-risk category," she said.

So far, Indonesia has exceeded the WHO's target for vaccinations. Still, there are several regions where vaccinations need to be optimized, she noted.

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Translator: Hendrina Dian K, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Sri Haryati
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