According to President Joko Widodo's direction, the booster vaccination program for COVID-19 is planned to start on January 12Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian government has invited people included in the category to receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster to increase the body's immunity to protect against the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in public places.
Minister of Communication and Informatics Johnny G. Plate remarked that vaccine boosters to prevent COVID-19 have proven to be safe and effective to help strengthen the body from mutations of the SARS-CoV-2 viruses.
“Vaccine boosters are safe and effective in increasing the body's immunity. Let us take the opportunity to receive this third dose of vaccine as an effort to maintain health, especially amid the emergence of the Omicron variant, with the implementation of health protocols as well," Plate noted in a written statement on Thursday.
Plate remarked that clinical trials conducted by the government indicated that giving vaccine boosters to research subjects did not cause side effects or severe post-immunization incidents (KIPI).
Under current conditions, the government recommends that vaccine booster recipients receive their third dose after six months or more since their previous COVID-19 vaccination.
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"According to President Joko Widodo's direction, the booster vaccination program for COVID-19 is planned to start on January 12," he noted.
Plate also drew attention to the two schemes of vaccine booster distribution in Indonesia: the free scheme and paid scheme.
For the elderly and beneficiaries of the free Healthcare and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan PBI), the vaccine booster can be accessed for free.
Meanwhile, the paid scheme applies to non-elderly citizens, who are not included in the BPJS PBI.
In its implementation, the third dose of vaccine will be given to the population aged over 18 years in a district or city that has met the target of vaccination coverage by 70 percent for the first dose and 60 percent for the second dose.
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The priority population groups include vulnerable groups, such as the elderly and pregnant women.
"In total, 244 districts and cities are ready to start giving the vaccine booster," Plate remarked.
The types of vaccines and vaccine delivery schemes will await recommendations from the Indonesian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (ITAGI) and the National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM) that will be decided on January 10, 2022.
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The government also informed the public that the vaccination booster may use a different brand from their previous dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
According to studies by experts, the objective behind giving a vaccine booster is to increase the body's immunity. There will be no problem with the difference in the brand of vaccine used.
"All COVID-19 vaccines used in Indonesia were safe and efficacious. Those who have met the criteria to receive a vaccine booster, please get it. At the same time, for those who have not been vaccinated at all or have not been vaccinated twice, please complete the dose immediately," he reminded.
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Translator: Livia K, Resinta S
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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