Health Minister Urges Public to Receive Full Vaccines Immediately
Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin delivers press statement after joining a limited meeting on the evaluation of Public Activity Restrictions (PPKM), Monday (02/21). (Photo by: PR/Jay)
Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin urged the public to finish their COVID-19 vaccines, both the first and second jab to reduce COVID-19 serious illness.
The Minister said that most of COVID-19 deaths were either partially vaccinated persons, unvaccinated persons, or those with comorbidities and the elderly. Therefore, he also encouraged the elderly to receive vaccine as soon as possible.
He also reminded the public not to choose which vaccine to take considering the urgency.
“Do not choose which one to take. Use the available ones for both booster and primary doses,” he said in his press statement after joining a limited meeting on the evaluation of Public Activity Restrictions (PPKM), Monday (02/21).
On that occasion, the Minister called on regional heads to speed up vaccination drive because vaccination coverage of the first dose in several provinces has not reached the bare minimum of 70 percent.
Data from Ministry of Health as of 21 February 2022 showed that the coverage of national vaccination reached 91.08 percent or 189.69 million doses for the first dose and 67.42 percent or 140.42 million doses for the second dose.
“We must speed up the drive so that vaccination coverage for the second dose hits 70 percent target,” he added.
Regarding the latest development of Omicron cases, the Minister mentioned that the number of daily cases of Omciron variant in thirteen provinces has surpassed that of Delta variant. The provinces are Banten, Greater Jakarta, West Java, Central Java, East Java, Bali, Papua, North Sulawesi, Lampung, South Sulawesi, North Sumatra, South Sumatra, and West Nusa Tenggara.
“Five of those have been showing a declining trend, among other, the provinces of Greater Jakarta, Bali, Banten, Maluku, and West Nusa Tenggara, whereas the other provinces are in the peak or is projected to reach its peak soon,” he stated.
He went on to say that the number of COVID-19 deaths will hits the peak 15-20 days after the peak in number of new infections.
“Although the cases are declining in a number of provinces including Jakarta and Bali, we will see the peak of deaths in two weeks,” he said.
The Minister underscored that the Government continues to keep COVID-19 mortality rate low by integrating the Health Care and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan)’s system with the one of the Ministry of Health’s New All Record (NAR). Thus, the healthcare facilities can identify persons with comorbidities sooner and put them on priority at hospitals. (TGH/AIT/UN) (RAS/LW)
