VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Feb. 16 - People who receive the second dose of the coronavirus vaccine can expect their antibody level to increase to up to 99 percent, which could reduce their chances of contracting a serious infection, an official said.

“The antibody level of more than 95 (percent) that we expect (from the vaccination) will be achieved only after (receiving) two shots of the vaccine at a certain interval,” director of communicable disease prevention and control at the Health Ministry, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, said during an online press conference conducted via the Presidential Secretariat Youtube here on Monday.

The first and second shots of Sinovac’s COVID-19 vaccine need to be taken at an interval of 14 days, she stated.

"After the first shot, the antibody (level) reaches 60 percent. The antibody will increase to 99 percent after the second shot is administered 14 days later," she informed.

To make optimal use of the vaccine, two shots of the vaccine must be given after a certain interval, she added.

Even after getting vaccinated, people can still contract COVID-19, she informed. However, post vaccination, they will have antibodies that will prevent them from falling sick, she said.

"Even if the virus is stronger, based on the clinical trials of the vaccine, it (the vaccination) will protect them against heavy or deadly COVID-19 phenomenon," she added.

Indonesia has administered the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to 1,068,747 healthcare workers across the country as of Sunday (February 14, 2021).

Of the total, 425,578 healthcare workers have got their second vaccine shot, an increase of 10,092 compared to Saturday (February 13, 2021), according to the COVID-19 Handling Task Force.

The government is targeting to vaccinate 1,468,764 healthcare workers against COVID-19.

Overall, the vaccination campaign will target 181,554,464 people, or 70 percent of the total Indonesian population, to build herd immunity against the coronavirus.

The first phase of the vaccination program has prioritized healthcare workers and the next targeted group are public service officers. (Antaranews)