TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto said 179,428 people have received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine as of date. The government had also distributed 1.48 million doses or 12.52 percent of the target.

For the first phase of the vaccination program, the government targeted to give vaccines for 1.3 million health workers and 17.4 million public officers. “Indonesia is one of the nations in ASEAN that has begun vaccination earlier, and that started by Bapak President on January 13,” said Airlangga in a webinar on Tuesday, January 26.

Other than health workers and public officers, he added, the government had scheduled the first batch beginning January to April 2021 for 21.5 million elderly people. The second batch was eyed to kick off in April 2021 to March 2022 for 63.9 million vulnerable people and 77.4 million people of other groups.

“The government has set the schedule. The President asks to complete it in December so that the vaccination of 77 million people that is planned to run in January to March next year will be expedited,” he explained.

The Indonesian government targeted to provide the Covid-19 vaccine for 70 percent of the population and so required 426.8 million doses, Airlangga informed.

Although the vaccination has already started, the government called on the public to maintain discipline in implementing health protocols. “This is mandatory,” he said.

Also Read: Jakarta on Day 2 of Covid-19 Vaccination Program

CAESAR AKBAR | ANTARA