Survey shows the majority of Indonesians are willing to receive the COVID-19 vaccine once available

JAKARTA, 17 November 2020 - The Ministry of Health together with the Indonesian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NITAG), with support from UNICEF and WHO, conducted a national survey on acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The survey took place on 19-30 September 2020 with the aim of understanding the views, perceptions and concerns of the public regarding the COVID-19 vaccination. The survey collected responses from more than 115,000 people, from 34 provinces covering 508 districts / cities, or 99 percent of all districts / cities.

According to the survey, three-quarters of respondents said they had heard of the COVID-19 vaccine, and two-thirds of respondents said they were willing to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. However, the level of acceptance varies from province to province, based on economic status, religious beliefs, educational status and region.

The survey found that community groups that have more information about vaccines are more likely to accept the COVID-19 vaccine. The same was true of respondents with health insurance, who said they were more likely to accept the COVID-19 vaccine. These findings indicate that accurate information is needed about the COVID-19 vaccine.

"The survey shows that the majority of Indonesians have heard about the COVID-19 vaccine and are willing to accept it," said Secretary General of the Ministry of Health Oscar Primadi in Jakarta (17/11).

The survey results also showed that there nearly 28 per cent of respondents were hesitant, and a proportion said they would refuse. Those who refused cited safety, effectiveness and halal vaccines as their factors of consideration.

Secretary General of the Ministry of Health Oscar Primadi explained that the government is currently ensuring the safety and halal aspects of the vaccines from the COVID-19 vaccine producers. A Joint Team consisting of various ministries and agencies has been sent to producing countries to verify this aspect. While waiting for the availability of vaccines in the country, Oscar said that socialization and education activities regarding the COVID-19 vaccine were continuously carried out to the public.

"It is very important for us to continue to ensure that the vaccine is safe. We also involve health workers and build their capacity, because health workers are the most trusted source of information in society," he added.

From a geographical point of view, Papua province reports the highest level of vaccine acceptance with 75 per cent, followed by Java and Kalimantan. Aceh province has the lowest acceptance rate at 46 per cent. Apart from Aceh, the regions with the lowest acceptance were on the islands of Sumatra, Sulawesi and Maluku.

In line with Oscar Primadi, the Chair of ITAGI, Prof. DR. Sri Rezeki S. Hadinegoro, dr., SpA (K), said that Indonesian people accepted the implementation of COVID-19 vaccination. This was motivated by the great desire to end the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The public is clearly willing to be vaccinated to break the chain of transmission but the government must ensure the number of COVID-19 vaccines is sufficient and the access to vaccines is evenly distributed to achieve high immunization coverage. It is very important to achieve herd immunity,” Sri Rezeki said.

UNICEF representative Debora Comini said the results of this survey would be used to develop an effective COVID-19 vaccination strategy, including a communication approach that ensures that all communities have access to accurate information about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines.

“The findings from this survey are encouraging and will help us build the right policies for COVID-19 vaccination. But vaccines alone will not end the pandemic,” said UNICEF Representative Debora Comini. "We also need to continue to wear masks, wash our hands and maintain physical distance if we are to emerge from this crisis in a stronger position than before."

"As the largest COVID-19 vaccine survey in Indonesia, the richness and breadth of this survey are invaluable as we work to address the worst impact of this pandemic on people in Indonesia through evidence-based interventions," said Dr. Paranietharan, WHO Representative for Indonesia.

# # # The complete vaccine acceptance survey report is available here. 

Corona Virus Hotline 119 ext 9. This news is broadcast by the Bureau of Communication and Community Services, Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia. For further information, please contact the Halo Ministry of Health hotline number via hotline 1500-567, SMS 081281562620, facsimile (021) 5223002, 52921669, and email address contact@kemkes.go.id

Head of Communication and Community Service Bureau

drg. Widyawati, MKM