Indonesia Highlights: Indonesia to Vaccinate 181M Citizens to Reach Herd Immunity | Jakarta Short on Medical Workers and Burial Ground | Indonesia Experienced Nearly 3,000 Natural Disasters

KOMPAS.com – To achieve herd immunity, the Indonesian government is aiming to inoculate 181 million citizens aged 18 and older.

Newly-appointed Indonesian Health Minister, Budi Gunadi Sadikin explained in a YouTube video uploaded on the State Secretariat channel that out of 269 million people, there are 188 million citizens aged 18 and above.

After excluding individuals with pre-existing conditions, those who have been infected by Covid-19, and pregnant women, the figure then stands at 181 million Indonesians.

While news awaits when such a target will be achieved, the Indonesian capital city is battling a massive problem with the epidemic.

With a caseload of 177,604 Covid-19 patients in Jakarta as of Dec. 28, Jakarta’s medical community and facilities are becoming increasingly overwhelmed with the continuous rise in fresh infections.

Jakarta hospitals are facing a shortage of medical workers dealing with Covid-19 patients on top of a land shortage for burial sites of Covid-19 victims in East Jakarta.

In separate news, the National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB) recorded 2,925 natural disasters that happened in Indonesia from Jan. 1, 2020, until Dec. 28, 2020.

Head of BNPB, Doni Monardo stated that hydrometeorological disasters and tornadoes have been the most common type of natural phenomenon in the country this year.

1. Indonesia to Vaccine 181M Citizens to Achieve Herd Immunity

Indonesian Health Minister, Budi Gunadi Sadikin stated that the country will need 426 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine to vaccinate 181 million citizens plus have some spare vaccinations in stock.

The government is aiming for each of the 181 million Indonesians to receive two vaccinations to reach herd immunity level.

“This is a massive number thus the government has been gearing up to ensure we can secure that many doses.”

The government issued a regulation concerning its Covid-19 vaccination plans under Ministry of Health Law Number 4 Year 2020.

The law prioritizes medical workers, assistant and supplementary medical workers, Indonesian military personnel, the Indonesian National Police, law enforcement officials, and public service staff as the first to receive the injection.

Source: https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2020/12/29/14231781/181-juta-penduduk-indonesia-akan-divaksinasi-covid-19

2. Jakarta Short on Medical Workers and Burial Ground for Covid-19 Victims

With the worsening Covid-19 situation in the city, Jakarta Vice-Governor Ahmad Riza Patria yesterday stipulated that the provincial government will likely tighten its large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) measures.

Over the past 10 days, the number of Covid-19 cases has increased by six-fold than the average daily infections having exceeded 1,800 fresh cases.

The city is facing a shortage of medical workers and the Jakarta Provincial Government has made a request to the Health Ministry for 2,767 additional medical staff.

The Pondok Ranggon Cemetery in East Jakarta is facing a shortage of land to bury the dead victims of the deadly virus as the number piles on.

Source: https://megapolitan.kompas.com/read/2020/12/29/13501681/kekurangan-tenaga-kesehatan-hingga-krisis-makam-jakarta-darurat-covid-19?page=all#page2 

3. Indonesia Experienced Nearly 3,000 Natural Disasters in 2020

Head of the National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB), Doni Monardo shared that 2,925 natural disasters took place in Indonesia this year.

1,065 incidents involved flooding, 873 tornadoes, 572 mudslides, 29 instances of droughts, 16 earthquakes, and 7 volcanic eruptions.

Doni added that from the combined number of disasters, 370 people lost their lives, 39 people went missing, 136 people were left injured, and there were also damages to houses and public infrastructures.

Source: https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2020/12/29/14190201/bnpb-sepanjang-2020-ada-2925-kejadian-bencana-di-indonesia