TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, in the commemoration of the National Press Day on Tuesday, February 9, announced that the government has allocated Covid-19 vaccines for 5,000 journalists that will be dispersed between the end of February until early March 2021.

“I spoke in private with Prof. Nuh [the Press Council chair]. Initially by the end of February until early March, we allocated roughly 5,000 [journalists] to be vaccinated,” said the President at the State Palace that was aired live from Youtube on February 9.

The President argues that journalists have remained in the front line of the pandemic to deliver news and information. They have established communication bridges between the government and members of the public.

For that reason, he believes journalists are 'public servants' that should be prioritized by the government’s Covid-19 vaccination program. Joko Widodo also took the moment to thank the work of journalists in general and specifically throughout the pandemic.

"I convey my deepest gratitude for helping the government in educating the public and helping people to obtain correct and valid information," said President Jokowi.

So far, the state-pharmaceutical firm Bio Farma has processed the bulk vaccines - which the Indonesian government purchased from Chinese vaccine producer Sinovac - and has turned it into 3 million readily used vaccine vials on January 20.

Read: Jokowi Allocates 5,000 Doses of Covid-19 Vaccine for Media Workers

DEWI NURITA