TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Health Ministry reported that the first phase of the COVID-19 vaccination program targeting health workers was nearly complete. The implementation is faster than the government's initial plan.

“Since the program began on January 14, almost 1,080,000 healthcare workers have been vaccinated to date from the initial target of 1.48 million,” said Maxi Rein Rondonuwu, the ministry's acting director-general of disease prevention and control, in an online press conference on Monday, February 15.

Based on the ministry’s data 1,079,390 medical professionals have received their first dose of vaccine, or 73.47 percent of the target. Meanwhile, there were 443,239 workers who had received the second dose, or 29.85 percent of the target.

Maxi added the Health Ministry had also vaccinated health workers aged 60 years and older. The figure, he claimed, was in line with the ministry’s expectations.

“We can see that until now there is no serious side effect or adverse event following immunization (AEFI),” he reported.

As the first phase of the vaccination has been completed, the government is gearing up to kick off the second phase targeting public service workers and the elderly people, starting from members of the Indonesian Military and the National Police, market traders, up to journalists.

Maxi said the target for the second phase of COVID-19 vaccination was 38,513,446, consisting of more than 21 million elderly people and nearly 17 million public service workers.

Read: Hospital Asked to Prioritize Treatment for Healthworkers with COVID-19

EGI ADYATAMA