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| President Joko Widodo on Jan 13, 2021, received the first shot of a Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccine after Indonesia approved it for emergency use. (Photo by= Indonesian Presidential Palace via AP) |
[Asia News Communication = Reporter Reakkana] Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo received the first dose of Sinovac Biotech's CoronaVac on Wednesday (Jan 13), becoming the first person in the country to be vaccinated. Jokowi, as the president is popularly known, received the jab at the presidential palace in Jakarta in an event that was broadcast live on national television.
Among those present were some Cabinet members, who will also be inoculated on Wednesday.“This COVID-19 vaccination is important for us to break the chain of this coronavirus transmission and provide health, safety, and protection for all Indonesians," Mr. Widodo said after the event, adding that it would also help to boost the economy. He also reminded Indonesians to continue observing health protocols, even with the vaccine rollout. With Mr. Widodo receiving the jab, the vaccination program in Indonesia has officially kicked off.
On Monday, Indonesia gave the Sinovac vaccine its first emergency use approval outside China, as interim data from a late-stage clinical trial conducted in the country showed its efficacy rate at 65.3 percent. An estimated total of 1.48 million health workers will be inoculated starting this week. More than 560,000 people are expected to be vaccinated in January, while the remaining 900,000 are scheduled to receive the jab in February.
