Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Committee for COVID-19 Handling and National Economic Recovery (KPC-PEN) recorded that the number of vaccine doses administered under the government’s national vaccination program has reached 400.5 million as of April 27, 2022.

"This is a great achievement, thanks to support from the community," spokesperson for COVID-19 Vaccination at the Ministry of Health Siti Nadia Tarmizi noted in a written statement received here on Thursday.

Tarmizi expounded that the first dose vaccination coverage had reached 95.63 percent, or 199 million doses injected; the second dose vaccination has reached 79 percent, or 164.5 million doses administered; while the third or booster dose coverage has, so far, reached 17.68 percent, or 36.8 million doses administered.

The spokesperson noted that older adults aged above 60 years are prioritized for vaccinations, as they are included in the vulnerable group and at higher risk when infected by the virus.

According to data, the first dose vaccination coverage among older adults reached 17.5 million people, or 81.66 percent; the second dose vaccination reached 13.9 million people, or 64.74 percent; and the third dose vaccination coverage reached 3.7 million, or 17.22 percent.

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The spokesperson emphasized the need to expedite vaccination in order to prevent virus transmission, especially among older adults. To this end, people are urged to help older adults get vaccinated.

She added that one of the government's efforts to rev up the COVID-19 vaccine administration is by opening vaccination centers throughout the country.

"Vaccination centers can facilitate older adults to get the vaccine at the nearest location," she said.

Tarmizi urged people that have gotten the schedule to get the vaccine dose immediately.

"Please come to all vaccination service posts or vaccination service centers. We urge families, with family members that have not been vaccinated, to encourage them to get vaccinated immediately," she remarked.

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Translator: Zubi Mahrofi, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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