Minister Luhut Pandjaitan Laments 41 Million Vaccine Doses Yet to be Used

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Coordinator of the public activity restriction (PPKM) enacted in the islands of Java and Bali, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, in a virtual press conference expressed concern about the supply of 41 million Covid-19 vaccine doses that has yet been given to the public, despite already been distributed to regencies and cities. 

“This is surely regrettable considering the public has shown high interest to be vaccinated,” said the Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs and Investments on September 13. 

The Indonesian government has enrolled mass vaccinations nationwide and is eyeing to inoculate 208 million people. 

He asserts that vaccination coverage will be an indicator considered to determine a region’s PPKM evaluation and to reduce the restriction level from 3 to 2. In order to loosen the restriction, a region must cover 50 percent of its population with first dose vaccinations and 40 percent of the elderly.

Moreover, to reduce the public activity restriction from level 2 to level 1, a region must reach 70 percent vaccination rate for first dose vaccinations along with inoculating 60 percent of its elderly population.

Luhut Pandjaitan said the central government will give a deadline of two weeks to reach this goal. “[A region’s] status will be heightened to level 3 if those goals are unable to be reached,” he said.

In total, Indonesia has received 169 million vaccine doses with 157 already distributed from the central government to regional governments. The Health Minister said 9 million are on its way to Indonesia while additional 3 million will be placed as national back up.

Read: 41 Million Indonesians Receive Complete Vaccine Shots, Says Health Ministry

FRANCISCA CHRISTY ROSANA