VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Jan. 27 - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) highlighted the likelihood of the general public receiving the COVID-19 vaccine shots in mid-February of 2021.

"As I mentioned earlier, first priority will be given to medical workers, including doctors and nurses. (The vaccination of) military and police personnel and public service officers may coincide with that of ordinary people. I think (they can be vaccinated) in mid-February," he remarked after receiving the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in the center yard of the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday, January 27, 2021.

The head of state noted that the first phase of the COVID-19 vaccination program prioritized those on the forefront in the battle against COVID-19, such as medical workers.

"The first priority is medical workers and the next are military and police personnel and public service officers," he remarked.

With 30 thousand vaccinators, 10 thousand public health service posts (puskesmas), and three thousand hospitals across Indonesia, the president expects 900 thousand to one million people to be vaccinated per day.

"This is (our) target. I always tell the health minister that it requires time and good management," he affirmed.

Despite being vaccinated, the public must continue to follow health protocols, such as wearing masks, washing hands, and observing physical distancing, he noted.

"This is important because that is the key. Apart from vaccination, the key is following health protocols. Reduce mobility to anywhere. I think that is all," he stated.

The president spoke of not having felt a thing while receiving the second shot of the COVID-19 vaccine.

"It is the same (as the first shot of the vaccine) two weeks ago when I felt nothing. Only two hours later, I felt stiff," he stated.

President Jokowi received the first shot of the Sinovac vaccine on January 13, 2021. He was the first Indonesian to receive the vaccine.

The Sinovac-made CoronaVac vaccine should be administered twice, at an interval of 14 days, with each inoculation dose at 0.5 milliliters.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, revealed that 179 thousand out of the 1.48 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were administered across Indonesia as of January 25, 2021.

Indonesia is among the ASEAN member states to roll out a COVID-19 vaccination campaign at the start of this year, Hartarto stated.

The minister remarked that the first phase of the free COVID-19 vaccine program, from January to April 2021, will focus on 1.3 million medical workers, 17.4 million public service officers, and 21.5 million senior citizens.

The second phase of the program, from April 2021 to March 2022, will cover 63.9 million vulnerable people living in areas with the highest risk of COVID-19 transmission and another 77.4 million people. (Antaranews)