"The acceleration of booster vaccinations needs to be prioritized amid the spread of the new variant, Omicron," he advised here on Thursday.
In the early stages, booster vaccinations must be prioritized for older adults and those who are vulnerable to contracting the virus, he stressed.
According to Wibowo, those who received the second dose six months ago must get the booster shot without delay.
Socialization regarding the importance of booster vaccinations must continue to be carried out in the community, he said.
"Regional governments, through health offices, need to continue to increase socialization regarding booster vaccinations in order to improve public awareness and understanding," he added.
Wibowo lauded the government for moving quickly in rolling out the booster vaccination program for the public.
"The government's effort to start booster vaccinations since January 12, 2022, needs to be appreciated as a form of its quick action in boosting protection for the community," he said.
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He also reminded regional governments to increase testing, tracing, and treatment efforts in order to anticipate a spike in COVID-19 cases.
"Regional governments need to intensify the 3Ts (testing, tracing, treatment) as an effective anticipatory measure. This is needed to accelerate COVID-19 handling," the epidemiologist said.
Aside from testing, tracing, and treatment, regional governments must intensify the supervision of patients under isolation, he added.
The Indonesian government launched a nationwide vaccination program on January 13, 2021, in a bid to boost community immunity against COVID-19. President Joko Widodo was the first vaccine recipient under the program.
According to data provided by the Health Ministry, as of January 20, 2022, nearly 179,400,503 Indonesians have received their first COVID-19 jab, while 122,625,654 have been fully vaccinated against the virus.
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Translator: Wuryanti Puspitasari, Raka Adj
Editor: Suharto
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