Awareness of vaccination must continue to be promoted because it will help bolster immunity
Jakarta (ANTARA) - COVID-19 vaccination must continue to be encouraged to bolster people’s immunity against the disease despite the revocation of the public activity restrictions (PPKM) policy, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has said.

"We need to continue encouraging residents to get their (COVID-19) vaccines, either the booster dose or the first two doses," he stressed at the State Palace here on Friday.

He also asked people to take their own initiative to prevent COVID-19 transmission, detect its symptoms, and seek treatment, if infected.

"Awareness of vaccination must continue to be promoted because it will help bolster immunity, and residents must be more independent in preventing (COVID-19) transmission," he said.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin affirmed that COVID-19 vaccine stocks in Indonesia remain abundant with nearly 10 million doses available currently.

"The total (stocks) is between 5 to 10 million doses, and all of it is available here," the minister said.

He asked residents, particularly the elderly who have not been inoculated against COVID-19 yet, to get their vaccines at the nearest health facilities to reduce fatality risk due to COVID-19.

"Turns out, of those who are hospitalized and those who died (of COVID-19), 50 percent are unvaccinated, and more than 70 percent are yet to receive their booster vaccine. Hence, we encourage residents, particularly the elderly who are unvaccinated and not receiving their booster vaccine yet, to get their booster vaccine," Sadikin said.

Earlier on Friday, Widodo announced an end to the PPKM policy, which was enforced to control COVID-19 transmission in Indonesia.

The revocation of the PPKM policy means that there will be no more restrictions on public activities and mobility, he affirmed.

Despite PPKM’s revocation, the President appealed to all people and the nation to remain careful and vigilant against COVID-19 infection risk.

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Translator: Indra Arief P, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Sri Haryati
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