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Jokowi urges public to get vaccinated ahead of Idul Fitri
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Idul Fitri mudik (exodus) travelers carry their belongings to a bus at Pakupatan Bus Terminal in Serang, Banten, on April 22, 2022. (Antara/Asep Fathulrahman)
P
resident Joko “Jokowi” Widodo is calling on participants in this year’s Idul Fitri mudik (exodus) to complete their COVID-19 vaccinations before departure, as the government contends with the discovery of two imported cases of a new coronavirus strain responsible for case spikes in several countries.
The nation is preparing for the biggest wave of mudik travelers since the start of the pandemic, an expected 120 million people. And for the first time in three years, the public will not be burdened by pandemic mobility restrictions.
When asked how the government plans to deal with a possible case spike over the Muslim holiday, the President said vaccination was key and that people should complete their vaccinations and get their boosters in a timely manner.
“The most important thing is vaccination and booster [shots], so those who haven’t done it need to do it,” Jokowi told reporters during a visit to Depok, West Java, on Thursday.
The President cited results of a serology survey from January suggesting that 99 percent of Indonesians had immunity against COVID-19 but that risks remained for those who had forgone the vaccines.
“Those who have not been vaccinated must be cautious. They urgently need to get their [shots] so that everyone is safe from COVID-19,” Jokowi said.
Despite repeated calls to complete vaccination regimens, the immunization drive has slowed, partially because of the sluggish rollout of booster doses.
