VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The number of Indonesians receiving the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine rose by 14,527 to 203,827,128 as of Saturday afternoon, the COVID-19 Handling Task Force reported.

According to data received from the task force in Jakarta, an additional 22,081 people got the second dose on Saturday, taking the total number of second dose recipients to 174,439,167.

The data showed that the number of people receiving the third dose or first booster rose by 75,015 to 67,506,011.

Meanwhile, 17,380 residents received the fourth dose or second booster, which is specifically being provided to healthcare workers and the elderly, bringing the total number of second booster recipients to 1,016,903.

The government has set itself the target of vaccinating 234,666,020 people against the coronavirus as part of efforts to put an immediate end to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Government Spokesperson for COVID-19 Reisa Broto Asmoro said the administration of the fourth dose or second booster to elderly adults is one of the efforts to end the pandemic earlier.

"This is also an endeavor when we have been vaccinated so that the severity or death risk will be lower. Since it is an endeavor, so it will not be wrong to try," she said.

The pandemic is not yet over, she added. While it is still on, the human body must be made strong to withstand the virus and until now, vaccination has remained effective in preventing an infection.

In fact, antibodies must continue to be formed through vaccinations so that people, particularly the elderly, have optimum protection against developing a severe infection or death.  (Antaranews)