Protect Children from Covid-19, Jakarta Intensifies Vaccinations for Ages 6-11

The Jakarta administration fully supports the Health Minister's Decree number HK.01.07/MENKES/6688/2021 about Covid-19 vaccination program for children aged 6-11. The first day of vaccination carried out at SDN Cempaka Putih Timur 03, Central Jakarta and 63 other schools spread across six cities/districts on Tuesday (12/14).

We invite all parents in Jakarta to hasten their children to receive vaccines through schools, puskesmas, hospitals or vaccination centers

"We support it and now we are at SDN Cempaka Putih Timur 03, where this is one of a number of locations being used for child vaccination in Jakarta today. There are 44 sub-districts and we hold it in one school per district. But we will hold it in all places," expressed Jakarta Governor, Anies Baswedan, as quoted by Jakarta PPID's press release.

He explained, on December 14, there would be 10,000 children aged 6-11 who received their first shot considering there were 1.1 million already registered in the Basic Education Data (Dapodik). It was planned to be executed in schools, puskesmas, hospitals, and vaccination centers in the community.

375 Elementary Students Targeted to Be Vaccinated at SDN Susukan

"We invite all parents in Jakarta to hasten their children to receive vaccines through schools, puskesmas, hospitals or vaccination centers. This is important to save them from Covid-19," he explained.  

He went on to say that it was being intensified in Jakarta. Based on today's latest data, as many as 11.4 million or 136 percent of the target had received their first shot and 9.4 million or 112 percent of the target had received second shot. Then around 774,000 elderly people or 102 percent had received first shot and 700,000 or 92 percent had received second shot. There were also 1.1 million or 114 percent adolescents aged 12-17 who also received first shot and 967,000 or 97 percent received second shot.

"With such vaccination achievements and daily cases in the range of 30, we can say conditions in Jakarta are under control for some time now. But, we must still obey health protocols," he asserted.

Health Vice Minister, Dr. Dante Saksono Harbuwono explained that Jakarta had met the target, either for the first shot of vaccination or for the elderly.

"For children, vaccine shots are opened in 115 cities/districts spread across 19 provinces with the criteria that the city/district achieved 70 percent of the first shot and 60 percent of the vaccination for the elderly. From these two criteria, we can vaccinate children," he explained.

Previously, the Health Ministry had issued a vaccination policy for children aged 6-11 starting on December 14 in a bid to follow up on the Indonesian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (ITAGI)'s recommendations and approval for vaccination for children aged 6-11.

Jakarta Health Agency (Dinkes) Head, Widyastuti added that it would be done using Bio Farma's Covid-19 vaccine and/or Coronavac that already has Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). It would be given twice with an interval of at least 28 days with a dose of 0.5 ml and has gone through a health screening process before injection.

She mentioned, it received a positive response from the community. It could be seen from the enthusiasm of parents to take their children for vaccines at SDN Cempaka Putih Timur 03. As many as 190 students received vaccines and it had exceeded the target set by 175.

"Those who have met the requirements can receive vaccine by bringing a family card or other document that has a child's NIK. For those who do not have a child's identity card, it can be done through KIA issuance service directly by Jakarta Population and Civil Registration Agency (Dukcapil)," she said.

As for the information, vaccination for children aged 6-11 aims to prevent serious illness and death in infected children, prevent transmission to family members/relatives who have not been vaccinated or who are at risk of infection, support face-to-face learning, minimize transmission in schools/education units, and accelerate the achievement of herd immunity.