With 69.44 percent of its population receiving the first coronavirus vaccine dose, Bekasi District is close to achieving herd immunity, the district’s COVID-19 task force has said.
“We hope to achieve herd immunity soon as we have administered the first vaccine dose to 69.44 percent of the district’s residents as of last Sunday (October 17, 2021),” Deputy Spokesperson of Bekasi District’s COVID-19 Task Force Masrikoh informed in Cikarang, here on Monday.
Based on the latest data, the first vaccine dose has been administered to 1,678,894 residents, or 69.44 percent of the total 2,417,794 residents targeted for vaccinations, she said.
The deputy spokesperson expressed confidence the district would reach the 70-percent vaccination coverage prerequisite laid down by the World Health Organization (WHO) for achieving herd immunity status at the end of October 2021.
“We need support from stakeholders to expedite the vaccination effort, and unvaccinated residents should immediately register for the vaccination in their localities,” Masrikoh said.
Around 996,801 residents, or 41.23 percent of the targeted recipients, have received their second vaccine dose, she added.
Of the total 296,174 teenagers in the 12-17 age group targeted for vaccination, 111,328 have received their first vaccine dose and 94,655 have completed their second dose, the deputy spokesperson informed.
Seventy percent vaccination coverage is the main prerequisite to improve the activities restriction enforcement (PPKM) status in the district, currently designated at level 3, to level 2, Masrikoh said.
“Cities within the Jabodetabek agglomeration area are currently assisting each other on pandemic control, and I am convinced they all are exerting their utmost effort to increase the vaccination coverage in their cities,” she added.
The Bekasi authorities are committed to expediting vaccination coverage by all means possible, including hosting vaccination drives at public locations, collaborating with midwives, and hosting vaccinations on boats to ensure vaccine coverage in the remotest areas of the district, she affirmed.
Source: Antara News