In the wake of rising number of Omicron cases, the Jakarta Health Office confirmed that the central government’s decision was awaited for administering the third or booster COVID-19 vaccine dose to the public.
Head of Disease Prevention and Control (P2P) of the Jakarta Health Office, Dwi Oktavia, remarked that based on the information she received, the central government had provided information that booster vaccination would commence on January 12, 2022.
“Of course, we have to wait for the central government’s decision,” Oktavia noted when contacted here, Tuesday.
The Jakarta Health Office head pointed to no fixed information yet being received regarding the technical aspect and which age group should be prioritized first for the booster.
In addition, the office awaits information regarding the available vaccine doses and whether the booster must be of the same brand as the first and second doses, Oktavia explained.
“In principle, the scenario for booster vaccinations, of course, will follow instructions from the Health Ministry,” she noted.
Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin earlier highlighted President Joko Widodo’s decision that third dose vaccinations would commence on January 12, 2022.
The minister revealed that the booster vaccine will be administered to people in the age bracket of 18 years and above following the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) recommendation.
The minister affirmed that booster vaccinations would be given in districts and cities where vaccination coverage had reached 70 percent for the first dose and 60 percent for the second dose.
“Some 244 cities and districts have met the criteria until now,” he stated
The booster vaccine will be given to those having completed six months since having taken the second vaccination dose, Sadikin confirmed.
Source: Antara News