COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout Begins in Indonesia

The Indonesian government has officially launched the COVID-19 vaccination program across the country. The first recipient of the vaccine was President Joko Widodo, who received the shot live on television to boost public confidence in the vaccine’s safety.

Healthcare workers, public servants, and the elderly will be prioritized in the initial phase of the vaccination program. Indonesia aims to vaccinate around 181.5 million people, or roughly two-thirds of its population, within a year.

The vaccination campaign comes as Indonesia grapples with a surge in COVID-19 cases, with daily infections consistently above 10,000 in recent weeks. The government hopes that widespread vaccination will help curb the spread of the virus and bring the pandemic under control.