Entering the year 2020, the Coronavirus started spreading across the globe, from one country to the next like a wildfire. For Indonesia, the first signs of infection came later in early March. Shortly after the first case, the number of positive cases kept on rising rapidly, forcing the country on lockdown. Businesses were closed, travel restrictions were imposed and for a while people could do nothing but stay at home.
After more than a year since the pandemic began, many vaccination programs are now under way. In pursuit of herd immunity, the government of Indonesia is giving out vaccination immediately throughout the country. Everyone is eligible for the vaccine as long as they meet specific criteria, such as the minimum age.
In this article we will look deeper into the future of the pandemic in Indonesia and what we can hope for both in the short and long term. Especially in terms of what it means for us travelers!
Image credits to Sekretariat President
The vaccination program started on January 13 as Joko Widodo, the President of Indonesia first received the vaccination. Along with several influencers and public figures, the vaccination was broadcasted live across the country in hopes of encouraging people to fully trust and support the program.
Similar to most countries, the strategy was to target first-line workers and the elderlies. Not long after, younger people are also able to get the vaccine according to their age. Slowly but surely, more people are receiving the vaccination and we can start to hope for an end to this pandemic, and a fresh start for us all.
Pfizer-BioNTech had been the first ever covid-19 vaccine that was approved. Following this, other types of vaccines such as Sinovac, Moderna, AstraZeneca, and many others are also getting approval to be used by the wider population.
The first vaccine to arrive and be used in Indonesia was Sinovac, which was the one administered to the President himself. There are currently 5 other vaccines available in Indonesia, including AstraZeneca, Sinopharm, Moderna, Pfizer, and Biofarma. To ensure the safety of everyone receiving the vaccine, all of these vaccines have been tested.
For any type of vaccine, you have to be injected twice, and efficacy rate also varies between each of them. For instant, AstraZeneca has a decent rate of 60-90 percent, while other vaccines such as Pfizer have a higher rate of up to 95 percent.
As of June 9, 2021, 11.455.920 Indonesians have received the 2nd dose of the vaccine. On the other hand, 18.934.997 of people across the country have received at least their first dose of the vaccine. In percentage form, 94 percent of health workers have received their second dose of vaccination, while only 10,99 percent of the elderlies have received the second dose.
Image credits to Covid19.co.id
This may seem like a miniscule amount of the population. However, remember that Indonesia is the 4th most populated country in the world, and so vaccinating the entire population is no easy task as it requires much time and effort. Unlike smaller countries, people in Indonesia have to be patient and wait a little longer for herd immunity to kick in and eventually recover from the pandemic.
While most people are supportive of the vaccination, there are some who seem to be afraid of the vaccine and worried of its negative consequences. As a developing country, this reaction is not surprising at all. The good news is that the government is working hard to educate the public about the importance and safety of Covid-19 vaccination.
Nevertheless, the program is still running strong and more people are getting vaccinated each day. Over at Sindo Ferry, we are optimistic that Indonesia is well under way to a post-pandemic world!
As mentioned before, Indonesia will take a longer time to reach herd immunity than some countries. For now, people still have to obey health protocols and do their part to prevent the virus from spreading.
The number of cases has risen rapidly in the last few weeks (June 2021), but there is still hope as businesses have been open for quite a long time. The government is preparing to open tourist destinations such as Bali as soon as the number of cases starts to fall.
More people are getting vaccinated not only here in Indonesia, but around the world. On that note, we can finally hope for tourism to start rolling again and for the world to finally be normal, free from Coronavirus and strict protocols.
Operating in the travelling industry, Sindo Ferry has felt the impact of the pandemic and have been struggling for the past year. As soon as vaccination became available, we immediately enrolled all our staff for vaccination, and we are happy that our entire team has been vaccinated. Furthermore, our ferries are regularly cleaned and sanitized.
Sindo Ferry has been operating since 1999 and rely on the tourism industry. We would love to continue to serve the public by providing tour packages eligible with the SingaporeRediscovers Vouchers that will take you around islands in Singapore, including Lazarus Island, St John Island, and Kusu Island as well as Sunset Cruise Dinner and Afternoon Tea.
It’s a good thing that Singapore has a smaller population than Indonesia, which allows us to operate and deliver our usual services around various places of interest in Singapore. Departing from the infamous Harbourfront Centre, guests can explore the surrounding charms of the island.
Operating in Indonesia is a little harder as the number of cases are still high and travel restrictions are constantly imposed, especially for international tourists including Singaporeans. We fully understand that Indonesia is a much larger country and will require more time to reach herd immunity.
Regardless, we are highly optimistic with the current progress in Indonesia. As soon as the borders are open and the travel ban is lifted, we will be back at doing what we do best, providing high quality ferry services at affordable prices.
Our ferry operation has been temporarily relocated from Harbourfront Centre to Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal. We depart everyday to Batam Centre Ferry Terminal. You can still get tickets from Singapore to Batam or Batam to Singapore from our website at www.sindoferry.com.sg.
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Thumbnail image credits to BNPT
