VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Feb. 18 - The number of confirmed cases among paramedics has shown a decline with over 1.1 million health workers across the country receiving COVID-19 vaccine shots, Indonesian Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin disclosed on Wednesday.

"Based on the data that we refer to, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases among our health workers has indicated a declining trend," he said at an online press conference that ANTARA joined from Jakarta.

As of Tuesday, 1,120,963 health workers have received COVID-19 vaccine shots in the country, and 537,147 workers have received their second jabs as well, as per the Health Ministry’s records.

The ministry has set a target of vaccinating 1,468,764 paramedics across Indonesia.

"We have observed a promising trend," Sadikin said, adding that the declining trend cannot yet be attributed primarily to the ongoing vaccination program.

The impact of the vaccination on health workers can be observed 14 days after they get their second jabs, he added.

The Indonesian government has been struggling to win the battle against the global pandemic since it announced the country's first confirmed coronavirus cases on March 2, 2020.

To curb infections, the government has not only enforced restrictions on public activity in the islands of Java and Bali since January 11, 2021, but is also conducting a nationwide vaccination program that commenced on January 13, 2021.

The Health Ministry revealed earlier that it would take 15 months to vaccinate around 181.5 million people under the national COVID-19 vaccination program.

Since January 26, 2021, Indonesia's COVID-19 infection rate has exceeded one million cases.

To attain herd immunity and free the nation from the clutches of the lethal pandemic, Vice President Ma'ruf Amin has stressed on the need for successfully administering the COVID-19 vaccine to the targeted population.

"This is the largest and most determining vaccination program. It must be successful. We must not fail," Amin stated while speaking at an event held to commend and acknowledge the National Police's public services on Tuesday.

Vice President Amin reiterated that 70 percent of the country's total population must receive the COVID-19 vaccine to achieve herd immunity.

"I again want to emphasize the importance of not failing in implementing the compulsory vaccination program because it is the most effective way to reduce the COVID-19 infection rate and prevent transmission of the coronavirus," he remarked.

Furthermore, people must continue to practice health protocols strictly, he said, while reiterating that the vaccination program is compulsory, as stipulated in Presidential Regulation No. 14 of 2021. (Antaranews)