Hundreds of Mosque Imams in Pekanbaru to Receive Covid-19 Vaccine

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A total of 648 mosque imams in Pekanbaru City, Riau Province, were scheduled to receive the Covid-19 vaccine gradually starting at the end of April 2021. Head of the Riau Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), Ilyas Husti MA, said 99 imams of the city’s mosques have been vaccinated for the initial stage of the program. 

The inoculation using the CoronaVac vaccine took place at Pekanbaru Hermina Hospital on April 21. Ilyas said other than the imams, their wives and mosque staff also received the vaccine.

“So there are 200 people in total,” said Ilyas who is also the management head of Ar Rahman Mosque.

The city administration, he explained, planned to administer the vaccine to 549 other imams, their wives, and mosque staff in the city. “Inshallah they will be vaccinated too because this is part of the efforts [against Covid-19]. Imam and mosque staff must be protected from the pandemic. Inshallah (God's willing), this program will be continued,” Ilyas said.

Ilyas underlined that the Covid-19 vaccination is a part of efforts that must be taken at times of the pandemic. He hoped that all mosque imams and staff are willing to be vaccinated. “We are implementing government programs and religious advice to take efforts to protect ourselves from pandemics, including the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Ilyas.

Read: Over 10.4 Million Indonesian Get Covid-19 Vaccine; Bio Farma

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