Don\'t Destroy the Burning Spirit of the People

KOMPAS/ABDULLAH FIKRI ASHRI

Residents, including students, queue for the Covid-19 vaccination at the Cirebon City Transportation Office, West Java, Monday (13/9/2021).

Citizens are getting increasingly enthusiastic about Covid-19 vaccination. Many residents are even willing to sacrifice a day’s income to get the vaccination.

One resident who has made great effort to get the vaccine is Ary Djunaedi, 49. On Monday (13/9/2021) at 8:17 a.m., he was already in front of the Cirebon City Transportation Office (Dishub), West Java. Together with hundreds of other residents, the resident of Kasepuhan village, Cirebon city, was waiting to be injected with the Covid-19 vaccine.

The queue snaked about 30 meters from the office yard to the outer part of the office. Some residents who had not registered online were even forced to cancel. There was no vaccine ration yet.

This morning I was intentionally off. Just to get the vaccine.

Fortunately, Ary registered through the online motorcycle taxi platform where he worked. After waiting in line for an hour, he finally received his first dose of vaccine.

"Finished, ma\'am? I didn’t feel a thing," he said, smiling at the vaccinator.

He should have been looking for passengers that morning, including many school children who had resumed limited face-to-face learning. "This morning I was intentionally off. Just to get the vaccine," said the father of two children.

Also read:

> Remain Vigilant Against Infection During Major Events

> Control, the Key to Living with Covid-19

If he insisted on chasing orders, Ary could serve 15 passengers at more than Rp 100,000. That was still below 20 passengers that he could have served before the pandemic.

However, the number is already better than two months ago. At that time, Cirebon was subject to level 4 community activity restrictions (PPKM).

For Ary, it is better to lose the potential income of Rp 100,000 than not to be vaccinated. "If I haven\'t been vaccinated, I can\'t enter the mall if there is an order. I\'m also thinking about taking passengers, I\'m afraid of getting infected," he said.

He also wanted to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The reason is, if he is sick, he is obliged to self-isolate and cannot get money for his son who is now in high school and the other one who is seven years old.

KOMPAS/ABDULLAH FIKRI ASHRI

The vaccinator injects the Covid-19 vaccine to a resident at the Cirebon City Transportation Office, West Java, Monday (13/9/2021). The vaccination targets 1,000 people.

Mardi, 36, an online motorcycle taxi driver, was also not looking for passengers that morning. He chose to pursue his second dose of vaccine, which had been delayed by more than a month.

He received the first dose of vaccination on 30 June at the Arhanud-14 PWY Cirebon Headquarters. According to the plan, the second dose should be at Ciremai Hospital, Cirebon. However, supply was limited.

He had also tried to participate in the vaccination in the Kesenden area. However, again, this resident of Gunung Jati subdistrict, Cirebon regency, did not get it. "It\'s very difficult to get the second dose of vaccine. Thank God, we can get it here," he said.

The Covid-19 vaccination event, which was held by the Cirebon City Transportation Office, was indeed targeted at transportation actors and the public. Opening for two days, 1,200 people registered.

"In fact, we have only prepared 1,000 vaccine doses. People are very enthusiastic about taking part in vaccinations," said Cirebon Transportation Office head Andi Armawan.

Also read:

> Building a Habit of Complying with Health Protocols

> Preparing to Live with Covid-19

> Beware of Euphoria amid Decline in Covid-19 Cases

Andi admitted to knowing nothing about the number of transportation actors in Cirebon city who had been vaccinated. However, his office will continue to boost vaccination in the transportation sector. On 1 September, 3,000 doses of vaccine were prepared at the Port of Cirebon.

People who work in transportation are among the most vulnerable groups to Covid-19 infection because they meet face-to-face with many people, including those from other towns.

The more people have been vaccinated, the faster the economy moves.

Vaccines like those received by Ary and Mardi do not only protect themselves and their families, but also others, and even support the regional economy. "The more people have been vaccinated, the faster the economy moves," said Andi.

The pandemic has indeed drained the pockets of the people and the government. The Cirebon city government, for example, has prepared Rp 81.2 billion for mitigating Covid-19, ranging from vaccinations and tests to hotel rentals for patients conducting self isolation.

The head of surveillance and immunization at the Cirebon Health Office, Bastijan, said the target for the first dose of vaccination was expected to be completed by the end of this year. Now, the acceleration of vaccination is in the hands of the government. Don\'t let the enthusiasm of citizens like Ary and Mardi fall down because of a lack of preparedness in the preparation, distribution or administering of the vaccinations.

This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo.