REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SURABAYA -- East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa emphasized the importance of Covid-19 vaccination for students and teaching staff ahead of the limited face-to-face learning (PTM). Vaccination, she said, aims to provide a sense of security and comfort for teachers, students, and parents of students.

Khofifah asked every regent and mayor to prioritize giving vaccines to students, especially high school, vocational, or Madrasah Aliyah. Khofifah said that the first dose of vaccination for educators had reached 88.48 percent, and 77.74 percent for the second dose.

"For SMA, SMK, and SLB students, according to provincial authority, it only reached 7.79 percent for the first dose and 1.31 percent for the second dose," she said this weekend.

Khofifah continued, to achieve 100 percent vaccination for teachers and students of SMA, SMK, MA, and SLB, East Java still needs around 1.1 million doses of vaccine. Khofifah also asked the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) to immediately meet these needs.

Khofifah said that on August 4, 2021, her party had carried out simultaneous vaccines for high school and vocational students throughout East Java. In total, 38,000 were injected with vaccines in 38 districts/cities. Khofifah said she would continue to simultaneously vaccinate around 57,000 students on August 28 and 29, 2021.

Khofifah stated that educational units located in areas with levels 3 and 2 have been allowed to start PTM. Khofifah reminded, on Monday (30/8), both teachers, students, and other school elements must have obtained permission from the local district/city Covid-19 Task Force and permission from parents or guardians of students.