By: Janet Theresia)*
The government continues to accelerate vaccination for Face-to-face Learning (PTM) activities, including in Papua. Acceleration of vaccination is devoted to protecting students and the success of PTM so as not to create new Corona clusters.
Vaccination is an effort to fight Corona. No wonder the government is trying hard so that all Indonesian citizens get the vaccine. The target is set, in 12 months (starting from March 2021) hopefully the national vaccination program will be 100% complete. Vaccination does have to compete with time, because the more people who are vaccinated, the more people will survive the threat of Corona.
In Papua, vaccination is also held, because there is a principle of justice so that all residents in all provinces in Indonesia are obliged to get it. President Jokowi asked for vaccinations in West Papua to be accelerated, and there are priorities for students and students. The goal is that they can safely conduct face-to-face learning.
Vaccination is only available for residents over the age of 12, but students also have the right to get it. Those who are in junior high and high school also want to be vaccinated, so they are safe from Corona and can do PTM without feeling anxious. Students also want to be vaccinated so they can study on campus as usual.
President Jokowi added that there is no need to be afraid of vaccine supplies. So the West Papuan government must intensify vaccination, because there are still a lot of vaccine vials in stock. In a sense, even though Papua is far from Jakarta, don’t worry because you will get adequate supplies for its residents, and you can get 2 vaccine injections.
Vaccination is a right for all citizens, including in Papua. The people of Bumi Cendrawasih are happy that President Jokowi is paying attention to them, especially the issue of vaccination. Even though it is far from Java, it still gets a share, so there is equality. Vaccination is a right for all Indonesian citizens, including those living in Papua.
The government has always increased the ration of vaccines gradually and imported directly from factories abroad. The available vaccines are not only Sinovac, but also Moderna, AstraZaneca, Pfizer, and several other brands. This is deliberately done so that the vaccine stock is always safe, because relying on only 1 brand will take too long to arrive. Though vaccination is always a race against time.
These vaccines arrived in Jakarta and then distributed throughout Indonesia, including Papua. For the distribution will be assisted by the authorities, because they are friends of the people. The apparatus is also ready to send vaccines to Papua, because there must be an even distribution of vaccines.
Face-to-face learning in Papua has been carried out for the past few weeks, although it is still limited and there is a shift system. In other words, only 50% of students are allowed to go to school, while the rest just study offline the next day. This is intended to comply with the social distancing protocol, because the maximum classroom capacity is 50%.
The teachers have also been vaccinated, apart from their students, so that they will avoid the new Corona cluster. If possible, school guards, librarian, and administrative staff have also been vaccinated, to be completely safe. Even though they have been vaccinated, they still have to wear masks and comply with other health protocols.
Face-to-face learning has begun to be intensified in Papua, and the conditions must be with strict health protocols. Vaccination is also required so that students and students are safe from the dangers of Corona. Teachers also need to be vaccinated before schools open. Covid cases have indeed decreased but vaccination is still mandatory, so that everyone is healthy.
)* The author is a Papuan student living in Bandung