IDNEWSNOW.COM, Jakarta – The Indonesian Health Ministry issued a circular ordering regional administrations to prioritize the use of Covid-19 vaccine batches that are nearing its expiration date to be used in the national booster program. The circular was issued on Wednesday, January 13, 2022.
Circular Letter No. HK.02.02/II/252/2022 was signed by the Health Ministry’s Director General of Disease Prevention and Control Maxi Rein Rondonuwu on January 12, 2022.
The letter states that “The advanced dose vaccinations or booster can be rolled out alongside the primary vaccination but with different vaccinators. Prioritize vaccines that are nearing expiration.”
Technical aspects of injecting the booster doses are also elaborated in the circular. One of the highlighted aspects is the use of half doses between 0.15 ml and 0.25 ml from various vaccine brands available in Indonesia.
Booster services are currently available across community health centers (Puskesmas), government-owned hospitals, and vaccination centers that are coordinated under the provincial or city health agencies.
DEWI NURITA
