REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, YOGYAKARTA -- The State Intelligence Agency (BIN) for the Special Region of Yogyakarta is accelerating Covid-19 vaccination, especially for children aged 6-11 years, to curb a spike in the number of Covid-19 cases in the region.

"We are accelerating vaccination since the Omicron variant is spreading quickly," BIN's Yogyakarta vaccination coordinator, Adi Riyanto, stated while reviewing Covid-19 vaccination at the Purwomartani Elementary School in Sleman District, Yogyakarta Province, Saturday.

At the Purwomartani Elementary School, BIN is administering the second dose of Covid-19 vaccine targeting some 900 children in the age bracket of six to 11 years from various schools in the area, he confirmed.

Riyanto is optimistic that vaccination in children would immediately help to build immunity against the third wave of Covid-19 caused by the Omicron variant.

"The number of Covid-19 cases in Jakarta and Bali have decreased, while in Yogyakarta, the cases are still increasing. We are optimistic that by maintaining health protocols and accelerating vaccination, we can lower the number of Covid-19 cases in Yogyakarta," he stated.

Collaboration between BIN Yogyakarta and the local Health Service for child vaccination had reached 93 percent for the first dose coverage and 60 percent for the second dose. "We hope that by the end of February, we can complete the second dose. For those who cannot receive vaccination on a certain date, they can register themselves for vaccination around February 26-27," Riyanto stated.

Speaking in connection with the booster vaccination, Riyanto said his side had not focused on students, especially those in the age group of six to 11 years, since their first dose had just been administered on January 2022. 

"For booster vaccination, we plan to administer it to high school and junior high school students in early March of 2022. For now, booster vaccination is still targeting adults above 18 years of age," he noted.

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