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Jakarta. Athletes are among the priority list for Indonesia’s second round of Covid-19 vaccination. On Feb. 26, athletes, trainers, and their support staff had gotten their first dose. Followed by their second shot on March 13.

“The second-phase vaccination is prioritizing athletes and its support staff to prepare for both national and international championships to bring glory to the nation’s name,” Riskiyana Sukhandi Putra, the Health Ministry’s sport health director, told an online conference titled “Boosting the Athletes’ Spirit through Vaccination” held by the Covid-19 Handling and National Economic Recovery Committee (KPCPEN) and broadcasted on FMB9ID_IKB on Monday.

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The Youth Affairs and Sports Ministry secretary Gatot S Dewa Broto highlighted how enormous the athletes’ contribution is to the country. “Quoting the vice president’s statement, [we] can only [wave] the national flag and listen to our national anthem overseas on two occasions — during a state visit and when an athlete wins an international competition. This is why we are prioritizing to vaccinate athletes.”