Healthcare Workers in Java, Bali to Get Covid-19 Vaccine First: Ministry of Health

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Indonesian healthcare workers in Java and Bali islands will be the priority group to receive the 1.2 million doses of coronavirus vaccine that have recently arrived from China, an official said on Thursday.

Siti Nadia Tarmizi, a spokesperson for the Covid-19 mass vaccination program at the Ministry of Health, said that the newly-arrived vaccine developed by China’s Sinovac will also be given to assistants for healthcare workers and support personnel at the healthcare facilities.

“[The vaccine] will be given to 1.2 million healthcare workers, assistants for healthcare workers, and support personnel at the healthcare facilities throughout Java and Bali regions,” Nadia told Kompas.com on December 10.

Also read: Indonesia Receives 1.2 Million Doses of Covid-19 Vaccine from China’s Sinovac

She explained that the healthcare workers in Java and Bali are the top priority in Covid-19 vaccination because the two regions are Indonesia’s most populous islands. Besides, the highest number of Covid-19 cases is on Java island.

“Java constitutes about 60 percent of our country’s population and many Covid-19 cases are found in Java island,” she said.

Previously, Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto also said that the first shipment of coronavirus vaccine from China last Sunday would be given to the healthcare workers.
Terawan said that the Ministry of Health has prepared data on the number of target recipients and vaccines needed for each region.

Also read: Indonesia to Implement Covid -19 Vaccine Shot in Stages: Health Ministry 

“For the first phase of the vaccination program, the target will be healthcare workers, assistants for healthcare workers, and support personnel in the healthcare facilities,” Terawan said in a virtual press conference broadcast via Communication and Information Ministry’s YouTube channel on Monday, December 7.

“The Ministry of Health has prepared the target number and vaccine needed for every regency or city,” the minister said.