TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian government has started discussing possibilities to initiate a COVID-19 vaccine booster program for the general public, which according to Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and under the direct instruction of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, is expected to be introduced in early 2022.

“As for vaccine boosters, the President instructed to have them be introduced early next week. He asked for the mechanism to be prepared based on PBI and non-PBI,” said Airlangga on October 18.

PBI refers to contribution assistance participants, a government vaccine financing program under the Healthcare and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan).

At the end of September, he mentioned a number of alternatives, with the first being vaccine boosters disseminated for PBI recipients, funded by the State Budget (APBN) for an 87.4 million people, which would need 97.1 million doses.

Then there is the need to provide 9.9 million doses for the 12-year-old demographic and another 27.2 million vaccinations that will be funded by Regional Funds (APBD), adding to a total of 137.2 million doses.

Another alternative is to offer paid vaccinations that are not funded by APBD to PBI groups and 12-year-olds, which Airlangga roughly estimated to be 93.7 million people.

Read: Vaccine Booster Trial for Public Slated for December 2021

DEWI NURITA