Bali Governor Wayan Koster has heaped praise on the province’s handling of COVID-19, calling the health crisis manageable on the island.
Koster yesterday highlighted numerous recent successes by healthcare workers and the regional administration, including the nearly-completed vaccination drive for the youngest age group.
“The vaccination rate (two doses) for kids aged 6-11 has reached 92 percent [as of Monday]. Bali is the fastest to vaccinate this group, while other regions’ rates still hover around 50 percent,” Koster said.
Indonesia only began vaccinating young children against COVID-19 in December.
The governor also took pride in Bali’s 0.03 percent COVID-19 positivity rate.
“It’s now very manageable. There are 60 active cases, 40 of whom were hospitalized while 20 are in isolation,” he said.
“Of course, this is thanks to Bali’s high vaccination rate. For those aged 12 and above, the rate for the first dose is 102 percent, and 91 percent for the second dose. These are figures above WHO’s standards.”
Despite the optimism, the official caseload numbers rarely paint the whole picture with the likelihood of many cases going undocumented. The island is also bracing for possible further economic and health impact from Omicron, which is gaining prominence in Indonesia.
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