TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Irma Hidayana, founder of independent data initiative LaporCOVID-19, deplores claims by a number of officials saying they have received third doses of Covid-19. According to Irma, the officials violated the regulations by getting vaccine boosters now.

According to the Health Ministry's Circular issued earlier this year, third doses of vaccines are only for health workers and supporting medical staff who have received the first and second doses of the Covid-19 vaccine.

"This means that the officials have violated the Health Ministry's regulations. The minister must give them punishment. But will he dare to?" Irma told Tempo on Wednesday, August 25.

Irma also said that Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin should also be given severe sanctions. "Because the authority to administer vaccines is under the full responsibility of the Minister of Health," she remarked.

A number of officials such as East Kalimantan Governor Isran Noor and TNI Commander Hadi Tjahjanto claimed to have received third doses of Covid-19 vaccines. This was heard during a dialogue between President Joko Widodo and a number of officials during his visit to East Kalimantan, yesterday. A video of the dialogue had been posted to the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube channel, but is now deleted.

"This behavior by officials is inappropriate. This greatly hurts justice for every citizen. Moreover, there are still many people who have not been vaccinated," she said.

Irma said that LaporCovid-19 had received many reports about the difficulties of getting vaccinated. "There are also many health workers who have not received boosters," she said.

As of the time this article was written, Tempo was still trying to contact the Health Ministry's Covid-19 Relief spokesperson, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, to seek clarification about officials' stating they had received vaccine boosters.

Read: Gotong Royong Vaccination Won't Serve Vaccine Booster, Kadin Confirms

Dewi Nurita