The provincial government of Riau Islands is targeting to complete COVID-19 vaccinations for children aged 6–11 by the end of January 2022.

“We are targeting to complete children’s vaccinations by January 31, 2022,” Riau Islands Governor Ansar Ahmad said during the launch of COVID-19 vaccinations for children aged 6–11 here on Friday.

The province is targeting to immunize as many as 249,047 children against COVID-19, he informed.

To reach the target, Ahmad asked all district heads and mayors in the province to supervise the implementation of vaccinations.

“The daily target must be reached. I have contacted district heads to mobilize sub-district heads,” Ahmad stated.

Batam city is aiming to inoculate almost five thousand children every day, he informed.

Although the target is relatively high, the Governor said he is optimistic that the local government will be able to achieve it.

During the launch of children’s vaccinations on Friday, the Riau Islands provincial government is aiming to provide the first vaccine dose to 11,655 children.

Ahmad informed that 114 thousand doses of the Sinovac vaccine are currently available for the program. However, the doses are expected to run out within the next ten days.

He said that he has requested additional vaccine stocks from the central government to ensure that vaccinations for children can run smoothly.

Vaccinations for children in Indonesia are being conducted in accordance with the recommendation of the Indonesian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (ITAGI), issued via Circular number 166/ITAGI/Adm/XII/2021, dated December 9, 2021, regarding the Study of COVID-19 Vaccination in Children aged 6–11 years old.

Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, also issued Health Minister’s Decree Number HK.01.07./MENKES/6688/2021 on the Implementation of Vaccination for the CoronaVirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) for Children Aged 6 to 11 years. He signed the decree on December 13, 2021.

Source: Antara News