"I urge local governments that have not yet reached the vaccination target in their area to immediately accelerate the vaccination program," Maharani noted in a statement here on Thursday.
Thus, residents could soon get the booster dose to increase their protection against coronavirus, the speaker noted while referring to the completion of the full-dose vaccination as requirement for the start of the booster vaccination program.
Maharani has called on local governments whose regions are still lagging behind in the vaccination program to enhance cooperation with various agencies or institutions.
An exception should be given to the elderly, who have met the criteria, to get a booster dose even if the area does not yet meet the requirements.
"Although the area has not yet met the vaccination target, if there are elderly, who have received the full dose of vaccine within six months, they should be facilitated, as they are included in the priority to get boosters vaccine shots," she emphasized.
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Maharani applauded the government's decision to provide the COVID-19 booster shot for free.
However, it should be followed by increasing the number of vaccinators and securing the supply of vaccines, she noted.
The House speaker highlighted the WHO report on the importance of more protection for the elderly, vulnerable groups, and people, who have not been vaccinated against the threat of the Omicron variant.
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Translator: Imam Budilaksono, Sri Haryati
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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