VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Minister of Communication and Information (Kominfo) Johnny G. Plate. (ANTARA/Screenshot of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology TV) - 

Minister of Communication and Information (Kominfo) Johnny G. Plate urged the public and vaccination organizers to protect personal data.

"As it involves personal data, I expected the vaccination program to protect the personal data of participants well. We have prepared legal protection by issuing a Decree of the Minister of Communication and Informatics," Plate remarked after observing vaccinations for media workers here on Friday.

Vaccination organizers are necessitated to maintain and ensure the protection of people's personal data properly.

After being vaccinated, the public will receive a digital certificate as proof of having participated in the COVID-19 vaccination program.

The digital certificate of COVID-19 vaccination can be downloaded on the PeduliLindungi application after registering the Indonesian resident identity card or NIK number.

The certificate contains personal data, such as full name, date of birth, and NIK number. The certificate also carries a QR code that contains personal data when scanned.

Plate urged the public to not share the QR code after undergoing vaccination, so that their personal data is not misused.

"Do not upload the certificate on social media, as it has a QR code. In the QR code, there is personal data. When we get the digital certificate, we need to protect it by not sharing it for improper purposes," Plate cautioned.

The minister explained that the COVID-19 vaccination certificate can only be given for special purposes, for instance, when the document is requested during a business trip or other urgent activities.

The number of COVID-19 cases in Indonesia has been quite high in recent times. Hence, Plate has called on the public to not panic, fear, or become pessimistic but to be consistent in applying health protocols in an orderly and disciplined manner.

"This is since it is a very effective way to prevent transmission. The health protocol is very important to be implemented in the midst of a fairly high transmission rate. However, this rate should not make us fearful and pessimistic," the minister emphasized//ANT

Government mulls Sinovac, Pfizer vaccines for children - 

The Indonesian Health Ministry is considering the use of Sinovac and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines for children aged below 18.

"We are studying vaccines that already have emergency-use authorization (EUA) for young people," Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said at an online press conference that was broadcast on the Presidential Secretariat’s YouTube channel here on Friday.

Sinovac has been approved for the 3-17 age group, while Pfizer has obtained approval for the 12-17 age group, he noted.

The ministry has discussed the COVID-19 vaccination of children with the Indonesia Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (ITAGI), Sadikin said.

The government is also monitoring how countries in Europe and Asia, and also the United States are conducting COVID-19 vaccinations of children, he added.

“(The government is tracking data such as) To which group of people they give the vaccine, hence we can issue a comprehensive policy based on (vaccine) usage data from other countries, and also scientific data of emergency authorization issued for the two vaccine producers," he informed.

Based on global data, he said, 99 percent of COVID-19 cases in the under 18 age group can be cured.

China has approved the emergency use of Sinovac’s COVID-19 vaccine for children as young as three, Sinovac Biotech Ltd has confirmed.

Canada, the US, and the EU have already authorized the Pfizer vaccine for children as young as 12, while the UK has recently approved the use of Pfizer’s vaccine in children aged 12 to 15//ANT

Groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the maritime training center at the  Batam Navy Base on Friday. (ANTARA/HO-Kedubes AS di Jakarta) - 

Indonesia and the United States have commenced work on building a maritime training center that will cost millions of dollars.

Indonesian Maritime Security Board (Bakamla RI) Deputy for Policy and Strategy Rear Admiral Tatit E. Witjaksono and US Ambassador to Indonesia Sung Y. Kim led the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the maritime training center at the Batam Navy Base on Friday.

Witjaksono noted that Bakamla RI will own and operate the training center.

"This training center will serve as an important facility for Bakamla to improve the competence of its personnel in answering the challenges to its tasks to ensure security and safety at sea,” he affirmed.

The maritime training center, to be constructed at a cost of US$3.5 million (nearly Rp50.55 billion), is the result of collaboration between Bakamla RI, the US Coast Guard, the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Section (INL) of the US Embassy, Joint Interagency Task Force West, US Indo-Pacific Command, and US Navy Technical Facility Command.

"The training center will comprise class rooms, office rooms, barrack, kitchen, and ship launch pad. This place can accommodate 50 students and 12 instructors," he revealed.

Ambassador Kim affirmed that the initiative was part of the US’ continued efforts to collaborate with Indonesia in fighting international crimes by offering equipment, support, training, and technical assistance to BakamlaRI since its inauguration in 2014.

“As a friendly country and partner of Indonesia, the United States remains committed to supporting the main role of Indonesia in promoting regional peace and security by fighting domestic and international crimes,” Kim noted in a statement issued by the US Embassy in Jakarta on Friday//ANT

Medical officers carry out health checks on residents before administering the AstraZeneca vaccine at the Pengadegan Sports Center (GOR), Jakarta, on June 10, 2021. The DKI Jakarta provincial government has opened COVID-19 vaccinations for all residents over the age of 18 on the condition that they bring an ID card or a domicile certificate. (ANTARA PHOTOS/Dhemas Reviyanto/wsj) - 

The Indonesian Health Ministry has removed the domicile requirement for COVID-19 vaccinations at all government-owned service posts in order to ramp up immunizations to 1 million doses per day.

"The service post can provide services to all targets regardless of domicile or place of residence on the ID card," said acting director general of disease prevention and control at the ministry, Dr. Maxi Rein Rondonuwu, in a written statement received here on Friday.

The provision has been laid down in Circular Number HK.02.02/I/1669/2021 regarding the Acceleration of the Implementation of COVID-19 Vaccination through Vaccination Service Post Activities and Optimization of the Vertical Technical Implementation Units (UPTs) of the Health Ministry.

According to the circular, the COVID-19 vaccination program can be accelerated through vaccination service post activities and in collaboration with the military, police, community organizations, the vertical Technical Implementation Units (UPTs) of the Health Ministry, such as the Port Health Office (KKP), vertical hospitals, the Health Polytechnic (Poltekkes), and with the help of entrepreneurs.

"The Health Ministry’s vaccination service posts are located in Hang Jebat and all vertical UPTs of the ministry, such as the Port Health Office (KKP), vertical hospitals, and Poltekkes," Rondonuwu said.

The service posts are meant to boost the vaccination program at vertical UPTs, he added.

The circular has been sent to all directors of vertical hospitals, all directors of health polytechnics, and all heads of the Port Health Office, he informed.

"The government plans to accelerate the implementation of COVID-19 vaccination with a vaccination target of 1 million doses per day through the provision of vaccines and logistics for COVID-19 vaccinations that meet the quality, efficacy, and safety requirements," he said.

To achieve the vaccination target and achieve herd immunity, all agencies need to synergize and collaborate, he added.

"The need for vaccines and logistics for COVID-19 vaccination is fulfilled by the Health Ministry, in accordance with applicable regulations," Rondonuwu said.

COVID-19 vaccines allocated and distributed at each term can be used to provide the first and second doses of the vaccine to those who need them and come to the vaccination service, he informed.

Given that the interval between the first and second doses of Sinovac's COVID-19 vaccine is 28 days and that for the AstraZeneca vaccine is 8 to 12 weeks, medical officers do not need to store two doses of vaccines at the same time, he pointed out//ANT