IDAI: Vaccination for Children to Start in Jakarta

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – The Indonesian Pediatrician Association or IDAI has announced that mass Covid-19 vaccinations for children will soon be held in Indonesia.

IDAI’s chairperson for its Jakarta branch, Rini Sekartini, said the mass vaccinations will commence on Thursday, July 1.

“The Jakarta Health Service said the [Covid-19] vaccinations will start with children in between the ages of 12 to 17,” she asserted to Kompas.com on Wednesday.

She added that IDAI have long given their recommendation for the move “IDAI supports the Jakarta Provincial Administration’s efforts to vaccinate children as it can reduce the number of Covid-19 cases among minors,” Rita asserted.

Also read: Indonesia to Start Vaccinating Children With the Covid-19 Vaccine

The Jakarta Health Services noted that Covid-19 cases among children in the capital have been on the rise. They attribute the surge to the Delta variant of the coronavirus, which is more transmissible to children than other Covid-19 strains.

The Jakarta Provincial Administration noted that of 7,379 Covid-19 cases detected in Jakarta on Tuesday, June 28, 16 percent or 1,152 cases were minors. 835 of the cases are between the ages of 6 to 18, while 317 ranged from infants to five-year olds.

“And if they test positive [for Covid-19], the vaccine will mitigate the symptoms before they worsen.”

Meanwhile, Indonesian Deputy Minister of Health Dante Saksono Harbuwono have urged the government to stage an intervention to reduce the number of Covid-19 deaths among children and increase their rate of recovery.

Also read: Indonesia to Administer A Million Vaccine Doses A Day in July

Speaking at a meeting with the Indonesian Commission for the Protection of Children or KPAI, Dante noted that children between the ages of 7 to 12 are particularly vulnerable to Covid-19.

“The number of Covid-19 positive cases among 7 to 12 year olds is 73.149. 128 or 0.17 percent of them are fatalities,” Dante noted of this age group, which also 65,604 recovered cases. “These numbers show the need for [government] intervention for this age group.”

He added that the vaccination for 12 to 17 year olds will be carried out immediately, as the Food and Drug Agency (BPOM) issued the Emergency Use Authorization or EUA for the move on June 28. The figures for Covid-19 cases among minors are as follows:

• 0-2 years – Positive: 31,182 cases | Recovered: 28,192 (90.41 percent) | Deaths: 244 (0.78 percent)
• 3-6 years – Positive: 36,535 cases | Recovered: 32,462 (88,85 percent) | Deaths: 68 (0.19 percent)
• 7-12 years – Positive: 73,149 cases | Recovered: 65,604 (89,41 percent) | Deaths: 128 (0.17 percent)
• 13-15 years – Positive: 51,700 cases | Recovered: 47,016 (90.94 percent) | Deaths: 75 (0.15 percent)
• 16-18 years – Positive: 65,409 cases | Recovered: 59,115 (90.38 percent) | Deaths:143 (0.22 percent)

BPOM said it will use the Sinovac vaccine to vaccinate children. However, the Agency has yet to authorize vaccinations for kids under the age of 12.

(Writers: Ihsanuddin, Haryanti Puspa Sari | Editors: Egidius Patnistik, Dani Prabowo, Lulu Lukyani)

Sources: 

https://megapolitan.kompas.com/read/2021/06/30/13071431/idai-jakarta-vaksinasi-untuk-anak-12-17-tahun-bisa-dimulai-1-juli. 

https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2021/06/30/13532221/wamenkes-ungkap-anak-usia-7-12-tahun-lebih-banyak-terpapar-covid-19?page=all#page2.  

https://www.kompas.com/sains/read/2021/06/30/163200123/5-fakta-tentang-vaksin-covid-19-untuk-anak-di-indonesia?page=all#page2.