The vaccination aims to support government programmes and for our own need to maintain the body's immunity and physical health, especially as athletes need to stay in prime healthSurakarta, Central Java (ANTARA) - Some 250 para-athletes, officials, and management of the Indonesia National Paralympic Committee (NPC) received the COVID-19 booster vaccine during a vaccination drive at Prof. Dr. R Soeharso Orthopaedic Hospital here on Wednesday.
NPC Secretary General Ukun Rukaendi remarked that the NPC remains committed to supporting the government's vaccination programmes by assisting para-athletes to receive booster vaccines.
"The vaccination aims to support government programmes and for our own need to maintain the body's immunity and physical health, especially as athletes need to stay in prime health," Rukaendi remarked.
The secretary general noted that some 200 para-athletes from 13 sports disciplines along with 50 officials and the NPC management received their booster vaccine during the training intensification programme for the ASEAN Para Games.
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He expressed optimism that para-athletes would become more confident in terms of their health while attending the training sessions after having received their booster dose.
He highlighted the Indonesian para-athletes' strict compliance to health protocols during the XVI National Paralympic Games in Papua last year, which helped to successfully maintain the zero-percent COVID-19 cases recorded during the games, to be emulated in future events.
"The Indonesia NPC will maintain health protocol enforcement during the training intensification programme. We have learnt from our experience during the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo to prepare ourselves as the ASEAN Para Games host. The Indonesia NPC targets the grand champion title during the games," Rukaendi remarked.
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Meanwhile, para-badminton athlete Khalimatus Sadiyah admitted to feeling confident and safe after having received her booster vaccine during the training intensification programme despite having delayed her training for a day to receive the vaccine.
"As we receive the Astrazeneca booster vaccine today, the intensive training session has been cancelled for today," Sadiyah remarked.
A total of 19 para-badminton athletes, comprising 15 men and four women athletes, have received their booster vaccine dose today, she affirmed.
Moreover, para-table tennis athlete David Yakob remarked that a total of 30 para-table tennis athletes had also taken their booster vaccine today.
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Translator: Bambang Dwi M, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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