President Joko Widodo bore witness to the administration of the COVID-19 vaccination to traders in Thamrin City and Grand Indonesia malls here on Monday.

"This morning, I saw and reviewed the vaccination program conducted in Thamrin City and Grand Indonesia, so that all shop assistants and those operating in shopping areas and malls can all be vaccinated," the president stated at Grand Indonesia.

On the occasion, Jokowi was accompanied by Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan, and General Chairperson of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN) Rosan P. Roeslani, among others.

"We are optimistic that (vaccination) can slow down, reduce, and eliminate the spread of COVID-19," he remarked.

The president again reminded the public to remain disciplined in applying health protocols everywhere.

"I also want to continue to remind all of us going anywhere to always, wear masks, wear masks, wear masks," he emphasized.

On Sunday (May 2), the head of state also reminded the entire community to remain vigilant of the transmission of COVID-19 despite the curve of transmission of the disease being downward-sloping since restrictions on micro-scale community activities (PPKM) and the mass vaccination program had been implemented.

The number of active COVID-19 cases in Indonesia has decreased to 100,760 and the recovery rate for COVID-19 patients has increased along with a decrease in daily cases.

The head of state cautioned that people should not become lax and negligent on account of this positive development.

"Do not feel safe. Not yet! Efforts to suppress the number of these active cases must be continued, and this exceedingly depends on our discipline, all of us, in implementing health protocols," he stated.

Jokowi also urged regional heads to continue to remind local residents to remain disciplined in applying health protocols and synergize with the central government to impose a ban on the Eid al-Fitr homecoming ("mudik") for their citizens this year.

Based on data from the Task Force for COVID-19 Handling, as of May 2, 2021, the cumulative count of the number of COVID-19 cases in Indonesia had reached 1,677,274, of which 1,530,718 had recovered, while 45,796 patients had succumbed to the virus.

Meanwhile, injections of the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine were administered to 12,457,164 people, and 7,678,485 million residents had completed their vaccination, with the receipt of two doses.

The government plans to vaccinate 181.5 million citizens to build herd immunity against COVID-19.  (Antaranews)