Mass Covid-19 Vaccination Must Be Done Less than 12 Months, Jokowi Tells

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo urged his officials to carry out a mass inoculation program in less than a year as the biggest Covid-19 jab drive in the country is scheduled to begin next week.

The President, popularly known as Jokowi, said that in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, the global Covid-19 vaccination program is expected to complete in three and a half years. While Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said that the mass Covid-19 vaccination in the country could be done in 15 months.

“But, I make a bargain. It must be done in less than a year,” said Jokowi during the land certificate handover ceremony in the State Palace on Tuesday, January 5.

Jokowi called on the people to remain vigilant as all parties must work hard to end the pandemic. He hoped that the vaccination program could speed up the handling of the pandemic.

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“We hope that with the mass vaccination program, we will be able to contain the spread of the Covid-19,” he said.

The Covid-19 jab drive is scheduled to take place in the second week of this month. During the first batch, the vaccines will be given to healthcare workers, such as doctors and nurses in hospitals followed by members of the military, police, and educators. Then, the general public will be vaccinated at the last batch.

“Although the mass vaccination program will start next week, I call on the people to remain vigilant, follow the health protocols wear masks, wash hands, refrain from going to crowded places and maintain physical distancing,” he said.

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“The key is to follow the health protocols until the vaccination program completes,” he added.