Reducing People's Mobility Will Protect Health Workers: Health Minister
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6 January 2021 20:08 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin confirmed that the government is set to implement a tighter social restriction in several cities of Java and Bali from January 11 to 25, 2021, in a bid to reduce people’s mobility amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
“More than 500 of our health workers have died. So I ask all to help them. Let’s protect them by reducing mobility for two weeks starting January 11,” said Budi in a press conference at the State Palace, Central Jakarta, Wednesday, January 6, 2021.
The government planned to begin the Covid-19 vaccination program for healthcare workers as the first recipient next week. Since Sunday, January 3, the vaccine produced by Sinovac has been distributed to 34 provinces.
Budi mentioned that the death rate among healthcare workers remained high. Moreover, the mortality potential increased following the rising trend of positive cases after the year-end holidays.
“After the long holidays, the average number of active cases rises by 30-40 percent. This will cause pressure on our existing hospitals, health workers,” he underlined, adding that the hospital bed capacity is almost full even before the holidays.
Read: Healthcare Workers' Deaths Climb as Public Mobility Grow amid Covid-19
EGI ADYATAMA
