PEKANBARU - Pekanbaru Health Service Secretary (Diskes) Zaini Rizaldy Saragih said in total 533 health workers got their vaccine injection cancelled because of high blood pressure, also known by the name of hypertension.

"As of yesterday afternoon, 1,014 health workers had been injected with the vaccine. But there were 533 that were postponed until (their blood pressure) stabilized," said Zaini, Monday (25/1/2021).

Not only in Pekanbaru, health workers in Riau and several other parts of Indonesia also have to postpone the vaccination process because of hypertension.

According to the Head of the National Commission for Post-Immunization Association (KIPI), Hindra Irawan Satari, there is a medical explanation of why someone with hypertension should not be vaccinated.

"In principle, the vaccine is for healthy people so that blood pressure must be normal," he said.

Hindra explained, the normal blood pressure that can be vaccinated is 120/80 mmHg. If people with blood pressure are still given the vaccine, it does not mean there are side effects that can be life-threatening.

"It's not a matter of contraindication, but we never have data on vaccinating people with high blood pressure," he said.

In addition, the head of the Indonesian Nurses Association, Harif Fadhillah, also explained that hypertension can be affected by many things.

"It could happen because of fear or anxiety and so on," said Harif.

Someone who was in a state of fear and then injected, said Harif, would make them even more scared.

"Your blood pressure will increase the more you are scared, it will cause headaches or other conditions that we don't want. So the problem is not in the vaccine, but the condition of the prospective person who will be vaccinated has," he explained.**/yeye