Let us just await the decision of the Ministry of Health regarding the fourth dose of COVID-19 booster vaccinesJakarta (ANTARA) - Head of the Indonesia Immunology and Allergy Association (Peralmuni) Iris Rengganis stated that the Ministry of Health's decision was still awaited for the administration of fourth dose of COVID-19 booster vaccines.
"Let us just await the decision of the Ministry of Health regarding the fourth dose of COVID-19 booster vaccines," Rengganis noted during an online discussion titled "COVID-19 Reinfection: What is going on in our bodies?" here on Wednesday.
According to the Peralmuni head, administration of the fourth dose of the booster vaccines is still being studied. Some say a fourth dose is still needed, while others say it is not, she remarked.
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Several countries decided not to give the fourth vaccine dose. However, in Indonesia, there are still considerations to give the fourth dose to citizens.
"Thus, we are still awaiting the final decision from the Ministry of Health regarding the fourth dose," she remarked.
Earlier, Deputy Minister of Health Dante S. Harbuwono affirmed that the government was still evaluating and reviewing the plan to administer the fourth dose booster vaccines to all Indonesian citizens.
"If later it is deemed necessary based on the studies that we continue to evaluate, and it turns out that we need a fourth dose booster, then it is not impossible to administer the fourth dose of vaccination," Harbuwono stated.
According to the deputy minister, the government is currently still focusing on pursuing the vaccination coverage that is yet to be equal among societies, both for the first and second dose of vaccination.
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The Indonesian government launched a nationwide vaccination program on January 13, 2021, as part of the efforts to boost community immunity against COVID-19.
According to data provided by the Health Ministry, as of March 2, 2022, nearly 190,979,676 Indonesians had received their first COVID-19 jab, 144,565,875 had been fully vaccinated, and 10,249,634 had received the booster shot.
The government commenced the third dose of vaccinations for the general public on January 12, 2022.
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Translator: Zubi Mahrofi, Raka Adji
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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