Indonesia’s VP Urges Seniors to Take Covid-19 Vaccine

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Indonesia’s Vice President Ma’ruf Amin on Wednesday received his first Covid-19 vaccine dose, marking the start of a vaccination program for senior citizens in the non-frontline worker's category.

The vaccination program for the seniors only began this month after the Food and Drug Agency or BPOM issued the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to use Sinovac’s Coronavac vaccine for people above 59 years on February 5, following the promising results of the tests in China and Brazil.

"Alhamdulillah [praise be to God], I just got vaccinated. Alhamdulillah, I have no problem, no pain, no dizziness, it’s all good," said the 77-year-old after receiving the Covid-19 shot at his official residence in Jakarta on February 17.

Also read: Indonesia to Get 140 Million Doses of Sinovac Covid-19 Bulk Vaccine Soon

Accompanying him was Doni Monardo, the chief of the national Covid-19 task force and National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin, and his deputy Dante Saksono Harbuwono.

Previously, Indonesian health care workers above the age of 60 years received their Covid-19 jab on February 11 as the government prioritizes the frontline workers to get the vaccine.

Calling on senior citizens

Ma'ruf called on elderly people not to be afraid of participating in the Covid-19 vaccination program.

“I call on the people of advanced age. I’m over 70 years old [during this vaccination program]. The vaccine, Insya Allah [God willing] will have no side effects,” he said.

“Let us take part in the vaccination program so that the Indonesian citizens are immune to the coronavirus as we are not sure when the Covid-19 will last,” the vice president said.

He said herd immunity could be achieved when 70 percent of the population had been vaccinated against Covid-19. Therefore, the Covid-19 vaccination is mandatory for those who have been screened.

Also read: Jokowi Receives Second Covid-19 Vaccine Dose

Meanwhile, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin expressed hope that the elderly would follow the steps taken by Ma'ruf.

“The vice president shows a very good example to the elderly in Indonesia. Hopefully, our seniors will follow,” said Budi.

Vaccination, he said, is not only aimed at protecting ourselves, but also our family, neighbors, and the whole community.