JAKARTA: Indonesia will start administering COVID-19 vaccinations for children aged between six and 11 on Tuesday , a health ministry official said, as the Southeast Asian country becomes one of the first in the region to immunise the very young.
Indonesia approved China's Sinovac Biotech vaccine for the age group last month and about 26.5 million children have been targeted for vaccination, Maxi Rein Rondonuwu, a senior health ministry official, told a briefing. The Sinovac vaccine is the only shot approved for children in Indonesia and Maxi said from next year authorities would restrict its use only for this age group.
"This is being done to accelerate vaccinating everyone in Indonesia ... we're strengthening herd immunity," Maxi said in comments made on Sunday, noting vaccinations of six to 11 year olds will start in the Greater Jakarta area. Indonesia has reported more than 4.2 million coronavirus infections with cases among those aged 0 to 18 in Indonesia, making up 13 per cent of total infections, government data shows.
Countries in Asia should start vaccination of 5-11 yr olds soonest possible.
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