Jakarta – The daily COVID-19 booster rate has more than doubled since the government made getting a third vaccine dose a requirement for people intending to travel for the annual Idul Fitri tradition of mudik (exodus).
Health Ministry spokesperson Siti Nadia Tarmizi said on Monday that the daily number of people getting a booster dose had doubled to around 700,000 recipients per day from around 300,000 recipients per day in late March.
As of Sunday, only 11.3 percent of the 208.2 million targeted vaccine recipients had received their third vaccine dose.
"We're aiming to increase the coverage rate up to 30 percent by the end of May," Nadia said, as quoted by Tempo on Monday.
She added that the government had readied 70 million vaccine doses for the booster program, which was rolled out in January, and that 20 million doses had been distributed by February.
For the first time in two years, Indonesians are allowed to travel on mudik for Idul Fitri, which falls in early May. The Transportation Ministry projects that some 79 million people will take part in the holiday exodus.
Under the guidelines of the National COVID-19 Task Force and National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), travelers who have received a booster dose are not required to present a negative COVID-19 test result to go on mudik.
Those who have been fully vaccinated with two doses are required to present a negative result from a rapid antigen test taken one day prior to departure. Travelers who have had only one vaccine dose are required to show a negative result from a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test taken no more than three days before their trip.
Travelers who are medically ineligible for vaccination must present a letter issued by a doctor at a state hospital in addition to a negative PCR test result. Children under 6 years old are exempt from the vaccination requirement, but must be accompanied by a fully vaccinated adult. (dre)