100.8 million People Fully Vaccinated

KOMPAS/KRISTI DWI UTAMI

Residents around the rest area or resting place kilometer 260 Banjaratma, Brebes Regency, Central Java, Thursday (2/12/2021) participated in the vaccination.

The coverage of those fully vaccinated against Covid-19 has reached 100.8 million people. Although the new Omicron variant has not yet been detected in the country, vaccinations reduce the risk of complications when people are exposed to novel coronavirus variants.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Indonesia ranks fifth on the list of countries with the largest number of people who have already received full-dose Covid-19 vaccinations after China, India, the United States and Brazil. Nevertheless, vaccinations still have to be accelerated by making sure all citizens can access inoculation services, especially vulnerable groups.

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The vaccination also reduces the risk of worsening symptoms for patients when infected with new variants. So far, the Health Ministry has confirmed that the Omicron variant is not yet identified in Indonesia and denied the finding of this variant at Farmalab, in Bekasi, West Java.

“We need to reach vulnerable populations, such as the elderly. This is the most difficult group so we have to take the initiative. If there’s any anxiety over comorbidities, vaccinations can be conducted in hospitals,” said the Covid-19 Control Task Force’s Health Management Chief Alexander K Ginting in Jakarta on Wednesday (8/12/2021).

The government has set the target of 70 percent of the population getting their first dose by the end of December 2021.

All citizens and residents are expected to be protected by the vaccine. The government has set the target of 70 percent of the population getting their first dose by the end of December 2021. “If there’s any movement of people at home or entry into Indonesia, the vulnerable population will be protected,” said Alexander.

Target achievement

On 8 December 2021, 114.1 million Indonesians, 69.2 percent of the target, had already received the first dose. Meanwhile, those already covered by the second dose totaled 100.8 million, 48.4 percent of the target of 208.2 million.

According to Our World in Data on 6 December 2021, Indonesia occupied the fifth position of countries with the highest rates of full-dose vaccinations after China, India, the US and Brazil.

AFP/DANIEL LEAL

A member of the public receives a second dose of a Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine jab at a temporary coronavirus vaccination centre set up inside St John's Church in west London on December 4, 2021. - Britain, which has been among the hardest hit by Covid-19 with more than 145,000 deaths, is racing to offer third doses of coronavirus vaccines to all adults aged over 18 through its state-run National Health Service.

However, the vaccination coverage for vulnerable groups, particularly seniors is yet to be expanded. Of the 21.5 million elderly targeted to receive Covid-19 vaccines, about 55 percent have received the first dose and only 36.1 percent the second.

Besides the elderly, continued Alexander, vaccination acceleration should also include other vulnerable groups like pregnant women, people with disabilities and children. Covid-19 survivors also need to be vaccinated.

“If this [vaccination] task can be completed, in 2022 we can consider carrying out booster shots. Priorities will be given to seniors, workers in the public sector and later the whole population,” he said.

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin stated in a press release that Covid-19 vaccinations would be expedited through mass immunization. All vaccination service stations were also instructed to provide inoculation

regardless of domiciles on identity cards. “Vaccinating is an important effort to reduce virus transmission so that case spikes can be pressed and we can get out of the pandemic,” he said.

Budi added that the government was also striving to ensure the supply of vaccines through multilateral and bilateral schemes. This was being done to ensure the availability for public needs.

Omicron variant

The Health Ministry’s Acting Director General of Disease Prevention and Control Maxi Rein Rondonuwu said the new Omicron variant had not yet been identified in Indonesia. He confirmed that news of the variant’s discovery in an examination at Farmalab Bekasi was not true.

“Farmalab has no genome sequencing capacity. It [sequencing] can only be conducted at the Health Ministry’s Health Research and Development Agency (Litbangkes) and GSI Lab. I have also checked Litbangkes, there was no Farmalab sample delivery,” he added.

From 1 January to 6 December 2021, Covid-19 related specimens subjected to genome sequencing in Indonesia totaled 9,527 samples. Of the number, 78 were Alpha variant cases, 22 Beta variant cases and 5,552 Delta variant cases.

Meanwhile, the Health Office of Bekasi Head Sri Enny Mainiarti has also denied that four residents of Jakarta in Bekasi had been discovered infected with the Omicron variant. She claimed the information had been misquoted during a discussion between her and the regent and district chiefs.

Kompas

A woman is vaccinated by a member of the Western Cape Metro EMS(Emergency Medical Services) in an ambulance which has been converted to facilitate vaccinations at a COVID 19 vaccination event in Manenberg, which is part of the Vaxi-Taxi mobile vaccination drive, on December 08, 2021 in Cape Town. - Anti-Covid vaccines may lose effectiveness against Omicron, but one more dose could remedy this. Initial elements, notably given by the Pfizer laboratory, shed light on the capacity of the new variant to resist vaccination. Omicron is "probably not sufficiently neutralized after two doses", admitted Wednesday the groups Pfizer and BioNTech, whose anti-Covid vaccine is given in two injections.

“I explained that the confirmed cases were not residents of Bekasi regency, but rather Jakarta. The incident was on 23 November and they completed their quarantine at the Athletes’ Village Jakarta, not infected with the Omicron,” she said, as quoted from the Bekasi regency administration website yesterday.

The statement was different from the first press release published on the Bekasi regency website on Tuesday (7/12). The release, titled “Head of Health Office Confirms 4 People Infected with Omicron Not Bekasi Regency Residents” can no longer be accessed.

Jakarta Health Office Head Widyastuti said, in connection with the news circulating about the Omicron variant, the Jakarta Health Office had sought clarification from the Health Ministry’s Litbangkes yesterday. From the latest clarification at 14.30 West Indonesia Time (WIB), the new Omicron variant had not yet been discovered in Jakarta.

Regarding pandemic control, Alexander said the government imposed no ban on residents’ trips to their hometowns or holidaying during the Christmas and New Year period. Nonetheless, the Covid-19 Task Force will tighten control in public spaces. (TAN/VAN/HLN)

(This article was translated by Aris Prawira).