Jakarta
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo received on Wednesday the fi rst shot of a Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccine, marking the start of Indonesia’s vaccination campaign. However, the country still faces a more dangerous and imminent threat: Its hospitals are getting full. The government’s hopes are high that the vaccine, which was approved for emergency use on Monday and aims to gradually reach some 181 million Indonesians, could help suppress the severity of COVID-19 symptoms and thus prevent a surge in hospitalizations. Unfortunately, this problem is already a reality in many regions across the country, as incoming patients, including those who suffer from other diseases, face difficulties in securing even a regular hospital bed. With over 600 medical-worker deaths from the virus recorded, according to Lawan COVID-19 (Fight COVID-19) volunteers, calls have intensifi...