The booster vaccine will be given to travelers who return to their hometown and are yet to receive their vaccine, and they will be vaccinated at their travel destinationBandung, West Java (ANTARA) - Travelers joining the Eid exodus who are yet to receive their COVID-19 booster vaccine will get the shot when they arrive at their destination, West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil has said.
"The booster vaccine will be given to travelers who return to their hometown and are yet to receive their vaccine, and they will be vaccinated at their travel destination," Kamil informed in a press statement issued on Thursday.
The governor said that the provincial authority is currently identifying destinations that will be visited by most travelers during the Eid exodus period to prepare for the vaccination drive.
"We are currently assessing regions that will receive more travelers in East Java. The vaccine will be administered to travelers who we find have not received their booster vaccine yet. The vaccine will be given at the destination," Kamil reiterated.
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He said that the provincial authority is making efforts to ensure that travelers can return to their hometowns safely without infecting their families and relatives in their hometown with COVID-19.
"We understand that the exodus tradition has a noble purpose, which is to visit parents, but we need to first reduce the disease potential," the governor said.
As most travelers originate from the Greater Jakarta area during the Eid homecoming period, Kamil said that he has instructed Bogor Mayor Bima Arya Sugiarto to expedite booster vaccine distribution in the region.
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Earlier, the government had announced that a booster vaccine will be required for homecoming trips during Eid al-Fitr, with residents who have already received the booster shot free to travel without COVID-19 test certificates.
Residents who have received only their first vaccine dose will need to provide a COVID-19 PCR test certificate, obtained at least three days before travel, while residents who have received their second vaccine dose will need to provide the results of either a PCR test or an antigen test, performed one day before travel.
High immunity among residents is one factor that was considered by the government while allowing residents to join the homecoming exodus during Eid this year.
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Translator: Ajat Sudrajat, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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