VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesian Health workers handling covid 19 patient - ayosemarang.com

The government has begun listing the first stage recipients of the COVID-19 vaccine after millions of doses from Sinovac arrived in Indonesia recently, spokesperson for vaccine-related affairs at the Health Ministry, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, said.

"There are several preparations that we are doing, one of which is [obtaining] the target data. We will start with [releasing] educational content via SMS (short message service) on 31 December, 2020," Nadia said when contacted by ANTARA from Jakarta on Saturday.

Earlier, the Ministry of Health had sent bulk SMSes to recipients selected for the first phase of the vaccine program, especially health workers. According to Nadia, who is also the director of prevention and control of vector borne and zoonotic diseases at the Ministry of Health, this method is being used to verify targeted recipients’ data.The way it works is that health workers who receive the bulk SMS are being asked to fill out a form and furnish their citizenship identity number (NIK), which will reveal whether they have been included in the vaccination target or not, she explained.

If a health worker is not registered, the Ministry of Health will inform the district or city health office, hospital, community health centers (Puskesmas) or clinics, and then his or her data will be submitted to the health information system, she added. All these processes are being carried out while the government waits for the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) to issue a permit for using COVID-19 vaccines, including the Sinovac vaccine, which arrived in Indonesia in December, 2020.

Earlier, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin had said the government plans to distribute COVID-19 vaccines to all provinces in Indonesia without delay. He said he hoped the vaccination program for health workers could be started before the community returned to work in January//ANT

Success of 1st phase COVID-19 vaccination to raise public confidence

The success of the first phase of COVID-19 vaccination in Indonesia will raise public confidence and curb coronavirus mortality rate , an epidemiologist said.

"The government should prove that the first phase of vaccination will be successful. The success will raise public confidence that the government is able to conduct mass vaccination properly," dr. Syahrizal Syarif of University of Indonesia (UI) said on Saturday.

He spoke of the first phase of the country's COVID-19 immunization plan that will cover medical workers, public service officers and elderly citizens. The first phase of COVID-19 vaccination expected to roll out from January to April 2021 will see about 1.3 million health workers, 17.4 million public service officers and 21.5 million elderly people. 

The second phase of the vaccination will be conducted from April to May 2021.As part of efforts to reduce transmission and mortality rates Syahrizal highlighted the significance of vaccinating right groups particularly medical workers as front liners in the battle against the COVID-19. He also praised the government's plan to prioritize elderly citizens for the vaccination.

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said earlier it will take 3.5 years for the country to vaccinate 181 million Indonesian citizens in order to achieve herd immunity against the COVID-19. The government has begun listing the first stage recipients of the COVID-19 vaccine after millions of doses from Sinovac arrived in Indonesia recently, spokesperson for vaccine-related affairs at the Health Ministry, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, said//ANT

a fisherman found underwater drone in Selayar - South Sulawesi Province (Daily Mail)

The recent discovery of an Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) belonging to a foreign nation deep inside Indonesia's territorial waters cannot be overlooked since it must be perceived as a real threat to national security. Sukamta, a member of the House of Representatives' (DPR's) Commission I overseeing security and foreign affairs, suggested that the government should improve Indonesia's defense and remote sensing capabilities.

To this end, Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto is glaring at the challenge of boosting Indonesia's capabilities to expedite the development of remote-sensing technology. To this end, the government should push its national research agencies to meet the demands.The UUV was reportedly found by Saeruddin, a resident of Majapahit Village in Pasimarannu Sub-district, Selayar Islands District, South Sulawesi Province, on December 20, 2020. However, after having kept it at his home for a week, this 60-year-old fisherman handed it over to a local military authority.

The discovery of this underwater drone that can be used for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, deep water survey, and inspection-related purposes has come under the spotlight of Indonesia's and international media outlets. This latest development clearly shows that Indonesia must improve its maritime surveillance. While these drones may turn out to be gathering data for seemingly innocuous purposes, including advancing scientific understanding, it is important for policy makers in Jakarta to retain a healthy dose of suspicion.

In view of all circumstances, drones, such as those of the Chinese Sea Wing family, have dual civilian and military purposes. Scientific data collected during peacetime may be used by naval planners to their advantage during wartime//ANT

Singapore reports 33 new COVID-19 cases, all imported; highest since Sep 15 - The Strait Times

Singapore reported 33 new COVID-19 cases as of noon on Saturday (Jan 2), the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in its preliminary update. All of them were imported infections and placed on stay-home notice or isolated upon their arrival in Singapore. This is the highest number of COVID-19 cases reported since Sep 15, when 34 cases were reported. Of the 33 new cases, six are permanent residents and nine are foreign domestic workers. No locally transmitted cases were reported on Saturday. 

On Friday, Singapore reported three community cases - two of whom were linked to clusters involving workers in the marine sector.  One of them is a 14-year-old Raffles Girls' School student, the second person from the school to test positive for COVID-19. The new infection, known as Case 58870, is a friend of the frist case who tested positive on dec 31, a day after her family member - the marine surveyorat Lloyd's Register Singapore - tested positive. According to MOH, Case 58870 had visited her friend at her home for a few hours on Dec 27. During that time, the marine surveyor was present. 

On Friday, MOH also said that Mandarin Orchard had been approved to reopen after investigations found no further transmission beyond the 13 imported COVID-19 cases who served stay-home notice at the hotel.

All hotel staff tested negative for COVID-19 using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, while serological tests of 11 employees are positive, indicating likely past infections.

"These findings indicate that there is no ongoing transmission at Mandarin Orchard Singapore," said MOH.

The total number of cases in Singapore now stands at 58,662//CNA