Mr. President conveyed that booster vaccination coverage is only around 25 percent until now. He asked us to intensify the booster vaccination coverage. Overall, we had given 412 million doses, including 200 million first doses
Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has asked Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin to intensify COVID-19 booster vaccinations in order to expand their coverage.



“Mr. President conveyed that booster vaccination coverage is only around 25 percent until now. He asked us to intensify the booster vaccination coverage. Overall, we had given 412 million doses, including 200 million first doses," Sadikin said after attending a limited meeting chaired by Widodo at the Presidential Office, here, on Tuesday.



According to data on COVID-19 vaccinations from the Health Ministry, so far, only 45,672,972 people, or 21.93 percent of the 208,265,720 targeted recipients have been given the booster shot.


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Meanwhile, the first and second dose coverage has been recorded at 96.16 percent and 80.39 percent of the target, respectively.



Sadikin said that according to the results of a sero survey conducted by the Ministry of Health in March this year, administering a booster COVID-19 shot was effective in increasing immunity.



"The booster increases immunity or the strength of the antibody so it will protect the body from viruses causing diseases," he noted.


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In addition, the Minister of Health said that the implementation of COVID-19 vaccination services must be intensified to help the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines instead of letting the stocks pile up in storage and expire before use.



"The President also asked us to accelerate the stock of vaccines, which are abundant in the regions, as a booster vaccine," Sadikin added.



As of April 2022, Indonesia has received 474 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine—around 130 million doses via donations and 344 million doses via government procurement.



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Translator: Indra Arief P, Resinta S
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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