Banjarbaru ready to be the first to reach 70 percent vaccination target

Banjarbaru Mayor H M Aditya Mufti Ariffin reviews vaccination held at the office of Banjarbaru Communication and Informatics Agency where hundreds of residents attended. Foto ANTARA/YOSE Rizal

Banjarbaru, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - Mayor H M Aditya Mufti Ariffin confirmed that Banjarbaru is ready to be the first to reach the target of 70 percent of its residents being vaccinated as set by the government.

"Insya Allah (God Willing), Banjarbaru is ready to be the first region to achieve the target of 70 percent of the population being vaccinated by the end of November," he remarked on the sideline of mass vaccination at the Communication and Informatic Office in Banjarbaru, Saturday.

Based on the latest data of the city's Health Agency as of November 26, 2021, 69.21 percent of the 195,115 target population have received COVID-19 vaccine jab.

"The latest number of people who have been vaccinated with the first vaccine dose is 135,035 and the second dose is 109,659 or 56.20 percent. So (we have) the remaining of 1,300 people to reach the target," he said.

According to him, the high achievement was thanks to the incessant of vaccination carried out by the city government and in collaboration with TNI/Polri and the private sector.

On the other hand, public awareness was also high. It was evident from vaccination activities in various places that residents were always crowded to get vaccine jabs to prevent the transmission of COVID-19.

"We thank all parties who play an active role in the vaccination. We also appreciate every member if the community who was willing to be vaccinated and is expected to achieve herd immunity," he said.

"The vaccination activities will continue even though the target has been achieved and we will follow the government program, including administering vaccine for children under 12 tears old," said Opie, the mayor's nickname.

Head of Banjarbaru Health Agency Rizana Mirza said that the city has a sufficient stock of vaccines to reach 30,000 doses, so the vaccination continues to be carried out and more people will get vaccine jab.