The Jakarta provincial government prioritizes administering the booster vaccine to the elderly and vulnerable group due to limited vaccine supply, Jakarta’s Health Office Chief Widyastuti stated at the Jakarta City Hall on Wednesday.
The number of booster shots in Jakarta is not sufficient to fulfill the needs of residents aged 18 years and above, with a population totalling eight million.
This is attributed to the gradual distribution that is adjusted with the capacity at the province, city, district, and health facility levels.
“Hence, for our first day, we utilize the vaccine that exists at the government’s facilities first, primarily Puskesmas (public health center), while we continue to process it,” she explained.
However, she highlighted the readiness of Jakarta’s Puskesmas to provide the booster shots.
Several Puskesmas have not yet conducted booster vaccination that have been accounted for.
Such Puskesmas have received the booster vaccine supply, albeit the target had yet to be achieved.
“In addition, Puskesmas are currently conducting vaccination for children aged 6-11 years that had driven them to share their power,” she stated.
Residents have the right to receive booster shots after a period of six months since having taken the second vaccination dose.
They could only receive booster vaccination through an e-ticket in the PeduliLindungi application and via invitation from Puskemas.
Moreover, several Puskesmas conduct booster vaccination by opening registration.
The mechanism for the vaccination is being adjusted as they go, Widyastuti remarked.
Earlier, the Indonesian government had provided the third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine for all citizens free of cost.
The booster vaccine is deemed to be important to bolster the people’s body immunity since the COVID-19 virus continues to mutate.
Five types of vaccine have received the emergency use authorization for being administered as the booster dose: Sinovac/Coronavac, Moderna, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Zifivax.
Source: Antara News