According to Health Ministry spokesperson Mohammad Syahril, Indonesia is considering rolling out the fourth dosage of COVID-19 vaccinations because the pandemic is projected to linger longer than planned and antibodies diminish after six months after inoculation.
“Some nations have begun it, and Indonesia is preparing it as long as the pandemic continues,” Syahril added. The fourth dosage will be emphasised for vulnerable populations such as medical staff, those with comorbidities, the elderly, and public workers.
In Indonesia, the COVID-19 immunisation rate has achieved 97% for the first dosage, 81% for the second dose, and 26% for the third dose.
According to Dicky Budiman, an epidemiologist at Griffith University in Australia, a fourth dosage of the COVID-19 vaccination is still required to minimise hospitalisation and death.
The existence of the Omicron BA.2.75 subvariant would extend the pandemic length, he added, whereas transmission of BA.4 and BA.5 has not yet peaked.
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“I believe the vulnerable or crisis time caused by this fourth wave will persist until October,” Budiman said.
On Friday, Indonesia verified 4,834 additional cases, increasing the total to 6,159,328, with 5,964,196 recoveries and 156,893 fatalities.
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