Press Statement of President of the Republic of Indonesia, after COVID-19 vaccination, 13 January 2021, at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta Province

Question:

How do you feel after being vaccinated today?

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):

Thank God, this morning (the vaccination) has been done and it ran smoothly.

Question:

How did you feel about the injection?

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):

I didn’t feel anything when I got the injection. But after two hours, it was a little sore.

Question:

Why was the vaccinator trembling when he gave you the injection?

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):

Yes, I was aware that Prof. Abdul Muttalib was slightly trembling. Maybe because it was the first injection of the vaccination, maybe because the one that got the injection was the President, or maybe because it was aired live on televisions. So maybe he, Prof. dr. Abdul Muttalib, was slightly trembling and I was aware of it. But he is a very experienced and professional doctor, so when he gave me the injection it didn’t hurt at all.

Question:

When was the last time you get vaccinated?

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):

I got the last shot of the vaccine a long time ago. I forgot, but maybe before I performed hajj. There were injections for meningitis and flu.

Question:

What message do you want to convey to the public?

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Joko Widodo):

I hope that the entire public, all the people, are ready to be vaccinated because this is our effort to be free from the pandemic. Regarding the time, everyone has to be patient because it will be arranged in stages and will be conducted gradually. One thing is for sure, the vaccine is free. And remember, even though we have been vaccinated, we must still be disciplined in following health protocols. That is the most important thing.