Jokowi Reminds Officials of COVID-19 Vaccine Expiration

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin on Monday said President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo reminded health officials to pay attention to COVID-19 vaccine supplies, especially as the supplies are nearing their expiration dates. 

“The President warned about the vaccine’s expiration, especially after reports coming from a number of regions such as East Nusa Tenggara and Central Java reached the President,” said Sadikin in a press conference on the evaluation of public activity restriction (PPKM). 

Budi said the vaccines nearing their expiration dates would be diverted to other regions with high vaccine demand and the personnel of the military and the police.

Budi said there were 276 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine that had arrived in Indonesia, with 216 distributed and administered to the population. Reports suggested 60 million doses are still stored in regencies and cities. 

In total, 130.6 million (62 percent) people have received their first COVID-19 vaccine jabs and 84.5 million (40 percent) received complete doses with an average national vaccination rate of 1.6-2 million doses administered. The Indonesian government aims at reaching 290-300 million vaccinations by the end of 2021. 

Read: Regional Govts Must Fully Use COVID-19 Vaccine Stocks: Minister

FRANCISCA CHRISTY ROSANA