Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian government is continuing to expand the scope of COVID-19 vaccinations and the readiness of health facilities to prevent any potential spike in cases amid the emergence of the new variant and increasing public mobility.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, made the remarks in a written statement issued here on Friday.
"We expect that a third wave would not happen in Indonesia. However, because of the new variant and increasing people's mobility, we have to be cautious," he said.
The readiness of health facilities, such as the availability of medical oxygen at COVID-19 referral hospitals across Indonesia, is crucial, he stressed.
This readiness is required as a precautionary measure to treat patients with moderate and severe symptoms in case of emergency, he explained.
The trend of hospitals with less than 12 hours of oxygen stocks has increasingly declined compared to when cases peaked in the July–August 2021 period, the minister noted.
"The government continues to ensure the availability of medical oxygen and medicines that involves every party, both domestic and abroad," Hartarto affirmed.
"The existence of this oxygen generator and compressor assistance will certainly help the government in bolstering health service facility and handling the COVID-19 pandemic," he said during an event held to distribute oxygen generators and compressors in Jakarta's eastern outskirts of Bekasi.
He lauded the Indonesian Embassy (KBRI) in Singapore and the Indonesian Diaspora in Singapore for making a real contribution to COVID-19 handling efforts in Indonesia through the fund-raising they organized.
"We channel that fund-raising to become oxygen generators and compressors that we distribute to 12 hospitals in eight provinces in Indonesia, including Bekasi Hospital," the minister said.
Speaking about vaccinations, Hartarto said that of the total 208.3 million recipients targeted by the vaccination program, the first dose has been administered to around 71.12 percent and the second dose to 50.06 percent as of December 15, 2021.
Meanwhile, the third-dose vaccinations of health workers have reached 85.91 percent, he added.
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