Indonesia has planned an unusual rollout of the coronavirus vaccine — it will inoculate its young population before the elderly. This is in contrast with the plans laid out by almost every other country in the world, as per media reports.

Indonesia has announced that it will first inoculate those between 18 and 59 years of age. The drive will begin with those working at the frontline, including healthcare workers, police, military among others.

Amin Soebandrio, director at the Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology in Jakarta said as cited in the media reports: “Our aim is herd immunity. With the most active and exposed group of population — those 18 to 59 — vaccinated, then they form a fortress to protect the other groups. It’s less effective when we use our limited number of vaccines on the elderly when they’re less exposed.”

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The country’s strategy is to target the mobile population as they are most likely to venture out due to jobs. Indonesia may first start with regions that have seen the highest number of coronavirus cases.

Indonesia has garnered 1.2 million doses of China’s Sinovac vaccine that had arrived on December 6. It will start inoculating health workers on the islands of Java and Bali, which account for 60 per cent of confirmed cases.

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