Thus, for people who advise others not to get vaccinated—you are responsible if someone in your community dies because they are not vaccinatedJakarta (ANTARA) - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan on Monday hit out at people discouraging others from getting vaccinated against COVID-19.
In a press conference accessed online from here on Monday, the minister said that those who are discouraging others from getting the vaccine should be held responsible if someone around them dies because they have not been vaccinated.
Of the 356 patients who have died since the Omicron variant was first detected in the country, 42 percent had comorbidities, 44 percent were elderly, and 69 percent had not been fully vaccinated, he highlighted.
He said that people with comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, and medical complications need everyone's attention.
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"Thus, for people who advise others not to get vaccinated—you are responsible if someone in your community dies because they are not vaccinated," he remarked.
The minister said that most COVID-19 patients who needed intensive treatment, were critically ill, or died were older adults, people with chronic comorbidities, or those who had not been vaccinated.
Therefore, the government will implement policies to protect such vulnerable groups, especially older adults who have not been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, he informed.
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He said that 65 percent of COVID-19 patients who are currently undergoing treatment at hospitals have mild symptoms and are asymptomatic.
He then appealed to asymptomatic COVID-19 patients or those with mild symptoms to use isolation centers to keep the bed occupancy rate (BOR) in hospitals low.
The Indonesian government launched a nationwide vaccination program on January 13, 2021, 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 February 7, 2022, nearly186,703,390 Indonesians have received their first COVID-19 jab, 131,119,425 have received the second jab, while 5,548,431 have received the third or booster dose.
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Translator: Ade Irma, Raka Adji
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2022
