President Joko Widodo has announced that the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine will arrive around the end of February or early March, and it is planned to be used in a limited way, for one province.
“There will be 4.6 (million doses) of AstraZeneca,” said President Joko Widodo.
The President has taken into account the supervision of the people who had been vaccinated since the AstraZeneca vaccination requires two tabs over a two-month period.
“However, the Ministry of Health is still discussing whether this vaccine will be devoted to a province itself so that management is easier,” Jokowi explained.
The arrival of the AstraZeneca vaccine increases the number of vaccines prepared by the government for COVID-19 vaccination. Previously, the government brought in a vaccine produced by Sinovac.
Meanwhile, Bali’s Vice Governor, Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardhana Sukawati, has proposed to the central government a COVID-19-free travel corridor be established with low-risk countries that have mass vaccinated its people.
Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno has said that talks about a travel corridor are in the final stages. An element of this concerns incoming travellers and the plan to be exempt them from quarantine.
“The plan is that tourists who are allowed to come are those who have been vaccinated at their home countries. Upon arrival in Indonesia, they have to take an antigen test and received negative results before they can proceed to do activities.”
Furthermore, Tjokorda proposed to prioritise vaccination for tourism front liners so that tourism workers in Bali can get vaccinated first to welcome international travellers once again. This is in light with Sandiaga’s efforts to prioritise Jakarta, Bali, Batam, and Bintan to get vaccinated first.
The Bali provincial government has also proposed to extend a soft loan totalling Rp9.9 trillion to the central government, in order to help tourism players in Bali revive their business.
A total 181.5 million people are targeted to receive the COVID-19 vaccination in Indonesia. Currently, vaccination has begun for health workers and workers in the public sector.
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