Vaccinations for the Elderly Need Improvement

KOMPAS/LARASWATI ARIADNE ANWAR

Elderly people wait in line outside the Health Ministry training center on Jl. Hang Jebat in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, on Tuesday. They received a message broadcast on WhatsApp notifying recipients of free vaccinations for elderly people in the area. However, it turned out that the free vaccine was being offered only to elderly people with South Jakarta-registered ID cards and that the number was limited to 1,000 people per day.

Chain messages have caused crowing amid vaccinations of the elderly in South Jakarta. Thus, increased socialization of vaccination procedures for elderly residents is urgently needed.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Efforts to inform the public, especially the elderly, concerning procedures for COVID-19 vaccination registration and the implementation of the process, needs to be intensified. The dissemination of this information through verified media sources is key to avoid and overcome the circulation of misinformation, which triggers potential vaccine recipients to crowd.

A crowd of potential vaccine recipients, especially of the elderly, for example, occurred on Tuesday (2/3/2021) at the Health Training Center (BBPK) of the Health Ministry, on Jalan Hang Jebat, Gunung subdistrict, Kebayoran Baru district, South Jakarta. On February 21, elderly people were also found crowding at Kembangan Hospital, West Jakarta.

Also read: Post-Vaccination Events

Yesterday, elderly people began queuing to receive the vaccine at the Health Ministry’s BBPK since 6 a.m. The large number of people arriving resulted in queues that extended along the sidewalks of Jalan Hang Jebat up to the T-junction of Jalan Lauser, which spans about 300 meters. To reduce fatigue, several people leaned on the BBPK’s fences or the trees along the sidewalk.

Based on the coordination between Gunung subdistrict and the ministry’s BBPK technical unit, vaccinations at the BBPK were limited to residents of South Jakarta.

Gunung subdistrict council member Anugrah Kusuma Agung revealed that the vaccine being administered on Monday (1/3) was allocated specifically for the elderly residents of Gunung subdistrict who had registered on the Health Ministry’s website. Based on the coordination between Gunung subdistrict and the ministry’s BBPK technical unit, vaccinations at the BBPK were limited to residents of South Jakarta.

KOMPAS/FERGANATA INDRA RIATMOKO

A vendor checks a list of COVID-19 vaccine recipients at Beringharjo Market in Yogyakarta on Monday (1/3/2021). Some 3,200 people in the informal sector in Yogyakarta received the shots on Monday. Yogyakarta hopes to vaccinate 19,900 people at three locations around Malioboro over six days in an effort to speed up the economic recovery.

“All of a sudden, there was a chain message being forwarded on WhatsApp saying that vaccinations at the BBPK are available for all the elderly. As a result, people came from other areas in Jakarta, such as South Tangerang, Banten, Depok and even West Java,” said Anugrah.

The ministry’s COVID-19 vaccinations spokesperson Siti Nadia Tarmizi added that the chain message also stated that elderly who wanted to be vaccinated could go directly to the location starting March 1, 2021. “This information circulating on WhatsApp is not true. Vaccinations should be done after registering and receiving a notification of the vaccination schedule and location from the local RSUD Puskemas [community health centers],” said Nadia.

Also read: Anticipate Effects After Vaccination

According to Nadia, each health office must properly socialize procedures such as registering for the vaccine and the vaccination process to the public, especially for the elderly. In this way, prospective vaccine recipients are expected to come to health facilities in an orderly manner to avoid crowding.

The elderly can register to receive the COVID-19 vaccine through the websites www.kemkes.go.id and covid19.go.id. Jakarta residents can fill out a form on the website dki.kemenkes.go.id.

KOMPAS/Rony Ariyanto Nugroho

A civil servant shows a vaccine card after being vaccinated at the Puri Begawan building in Bogor, West Java, on Monday. The vaccine has been given to 24,954 civil servants and is being administered in stages.

In regional areas

In East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), 11,076 elderly people and public workers in Kupang on Tuesday, received their first vaccinations in 26 health facilities. Kupang Health Agency disease control and eradication head Sry Wahyuningsih said the Kupang Health Agency should be equipped with more adequate facilities, as it is situated in the capital of NTT, to help accelerate vaccinations for the elderly and public workers.

Also read: Vaccination Target Data Incomplete

Meanwhile in Papua, the COVID-19 vaccine has not even been distributed for Papuan health workers. Of the 29 districts and cities in Papua, the first phase of vaccinations covering 18 districts and cities is still below 50 percent. Papua COVID-19 taskforce head Welliam Manderi said that vaccination coverage in Papua must be increased immediately.

Virus mutation detected

Exactly one year into the pandemic, two cases of the SARS-CoV-2 virus mutation B.1.1.7 from the UK have been detected in Indonesia. Further research into COVID-19 is still necessary, in line with the discovery of two cases of this virus mutation.

KOMPAS/RADITYA HELABUMI

A health worker gives a first COVID-19 vaccine dose to a vendor at Blok A Tanah Abang Market in Central Jakarta on Monday (1/3/2021). Many vendors welcomed the vaccination, and there was a long line to register. More than 23,000 vendors and management staff registered for the vaccination drive, which ran until March 2.

“Last night, I was informed that exactly one year [into the pandemic], there were two reported cases of the B.1.1.7 mutation in Indonesia,” said Deputy Health Minister Dante Saksono Harbuwono.

The five provinces that provided the most samples were Jakarta, West Java, East Java, Banten and Yogyakarta.

According to Dante, the two mutation cases of the SARS-CoV-2 virus were found as a result of examining 462 samples with the whole genome sequence (WGS) methods of the last few months. The five provinces that provided the most samples were Jakarta, West Java, East Java, Banten and Yogyakarta.

Also read: Balance Vaccinations by Complying with Health Protocols

The B.1.1.7 variant has a high transmission rate and an increased risk of severity. This variant and two other variants, namely the B.1351 variant from South Africa and P.1 from Brazil, may also potentially reduce the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Also read: Optimal Vaccination, 3M and 3T

Dante stated that the development of research concerning COVID-19 is still necessary, in line with the discovery of the virus mutations. This research can be realized through improved handling models for COVID-19 or analytical epidemiological studies.

Kompas/Priyombodo

. A health worker prepares a COVID-19 vaccine during a vaccination drive for civil servants at the South Tangerang administration building in Banten on Tuesday (2/3/2021). The vaccination program seeks to help build herd immunity.

In addition to strengthening research and innovation, according to Dante, implementing health protocols (such as wearing masks, maintaining distance, and washing hands) and increasing testing, tracing and treatment must also be focused on. Vaccinations may be rendered ineffective if both testing and tracing of COVID-19 cases are weak.