Pekanbaru (ANTARA) – The Pekanbaru city government in Riau Province’ received the Moderna vaccine for administration to 13,246 health workers as a third dose or booster shot.

Pekanbaru Mayor Firdaus stated that the booster vaccine was expected to protect health workers and boost antibodies while serving as the frontliners in handling COVID-19.

“This Moderna vaccine is limited to health workers. We had started the third dose of vaccination on August 3, and we will inject it gradually to our health workers,” Firdaus noted on Saturday.

Indonesia received three million doses of the Moderna vaccine as a booster vaccination for health workers on July 11, 2021, from the United States through the COVAX facility.

Meanwhile, the government also received additional doses of the Sinovac vaccine. The vaccination program with Sinovac vaccine will be conducted soon for the public that had yet to receive the second dose of COVID-19 vaccination.

“The number of vaccines in each region is distributed by the Riau provincial government. The governor is given the authority to regulate it,” Firdaus noted.

The Riau provincial government had regulated the quantity of vaccines and the delivery process to be sent out to 12 cities and districts.

“The number is determined by the Riau provincial government. Meanwhile, Pekanbaru needs more vaccines,” Firdaus added.

Riau Governor Syamsuar had earlier urged every district and city in his territory to exercise patience while awaiting the arrival of the vaccine from Jakarta, and the quantity was adjusted according to the requirement.

Vaccination will be opened at several places to avoid crowding of people.

“The public showed high interest in vaccination, so we will open vaccination centers at several places to avoid crowding,” Syamsuar noted.

Source: ANTARA News