By Mohd Shukri Ishak
JAKARTA, Feb 8 -- Indonesia, which started its COVID-19 vaccination process since January 13 for the 18-59 age group, has now extended it to those 60 and above.
Indonesian Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin in a statement said the decision to extend the vaccination to this group, which began today, followed the latest data which showed that about half of those who died due the virus were from among the elderly.
Indonesia targets to vaccinate some 182 million citizens, and the exercise is expected to completed by the end of the year.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo was the first to get the injection entailing the Sinovac vaccine from China, to instill confidence among Indonesians on its safety.
Meanwhile, according to data published on the republic's official website on COVID-19, covid19.go.id., so far, 814,585 people had received the first dose of the two-dose vaccine while 171,270 have already received the second.
Positive COVID-19 cases in Indonesia have now risen to 1,166,079, with 8,242 new cases reported overnight. The death toll rose to 31,763 after 207 more fatalities were reported in the last 24 hours.
-- BERNAMA
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