Among the first in the line for coronavirus vaccines in Indonesia has been one conspicuous group — social media influencers.Television personalist Raffi Ahmad, who boasts almost 50 million followers on Instagram, was next to President Joko Widodo as the world’s fourth most populous country kicked off its vaccination drive last week. “Alhamdulillah [Praise be to God] a vaccine … Don’t be afraid of vaccines,” the 33-year-old celebrity wrote under a video of him receiving the shot, next to a heart emoji and another of Indonesia’s red and white flag.Deciding who should be first in line for limited vaccine doses has been a challenge around the world, with many countries prioritizing vulnerable medics and the elderly.Senior health ministry official Siti Nadia Tarmiz, said the decision to include influencers alongside almost 1.5 million healthcare workers in the first round of inoculations was a deliberate government communications strategy.Although Indonesia faces the most severe coronavirus outbreak in Southeast Asia – with more than 869,000 cases and 25,000 deaths – there has been scepticism around the safety and efficacy of any vaccine, and in the world’s biggest Muslim-majority nation, whether it is halal, or allowed under Islam.A health worker poses with a vial containing a vaccine…
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Why Indonesia is choosing Instagram influencers to receive the first round of coronavirus vaccines
