We are positive of the BPOM quickly issuing the emergency-use authorization, and now, it still waits for information from Sinovac and the outcome of a medical trial conducted in Bandung (West Java) and Brazil, scheduled for conclusion on December 15
The Indonesian federal government is making every effort to win the hearts and minds of all people and enlist their involvement for the COVID-19 immunization program.
As just recently revealed by Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, the federal government will likely commence the first stage of COVID-19 immunization in the third week of December this year.
Nevertheless, the program will begin just after Indonesia’s Drug and Food Control Firm (BPOM) issues an emergency-use authorization (EUA) for the COVID-19 vaccine. As of Saturday afternoon (December 19, 2020), the firm was yet to give its authorization.
Previously, COVID-19 Handling and National Economic Healing Working Committee chairperson Airlangga Hartarto had actually said he stayed positive the BPOM would quickly release the EUA once the clinical test results and data from China’s Sinovac Biotech become available.
” We are optimistic of the BPOM soon providing the emergency-use permission, and now, it still awaits data from Sinovac and the result of a scientific trial carried out in Bandung (West Java) and Brazil, scheduled for completion on December 15,” he informed on December 14, 2020.
From the start, the Indonesian government has consistently expressed confidence that the COVID-19 vaccine will help contain the pandemic, which has actually positioned a severe danger to public health and economy.
Over the previous few months, it has striven to protect prospective COVID-19 vaccines for Indonesians through bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
Indonesia has actually established cooperation with China and the UK for the procurement and supply of COVID-19 vaccines, while at the exact same time, it has motivated the development of its own COVID-19 vaccine, Merah Putih (Red and White), named after the colors of the nationwide flag.
President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has actually revealed his readiness to be the very first recipient of the vaccine as soon as the BPOM concerns emergency-use approval.
He has actually been making every effort to encourage the whole country to participate in the vaccination program, which is considered important for the government’s endeavors to win its fight against the ongoing pandemic.
The federal government is aware of the fact that not all Indonesians are keen to get vaccinated, deputy chair of the COVID-19 Handling and National Economic Recovery Committee (KPC-PEN), Erick Thohir, said recently.
Research has actually revealed that 66 percent of Indonesians are eager to get immunized, while 16 percent are reluctant to join the vaccination program, he exposed.
He admitted he did not understand the reasons why some individuals are refusing to get immunized.
Their hesitance might be related to the question of whether the vaccines would be “halal or haram”, Thohir said adding, if that is the case, the federal government will let the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) solve the matter.
To encourage Muslim neighborhoods to participate in the first stage of the approaching COVID-19 vaccination program, Presidential Chief of Staff, Moeldoko, went to Abdullah Gymnastiar alias Aa Gym’s Islamic boarding school on December 4, 2020.
During his conference with the popular Muslim preacher at Daarut Tauhid’s eco-Islamic boarding school in Bandung Barat district, West Java, Moeldoko requested him to participate in the vaccination program.
Aa Health club reacted positively to Moeldoko’s request and expressed his readiness to be a part of the vaccination program if the vaccines are accredited as halal, or religiously acceptable for intake according to Muslim law.
The concern of halal status for COVID-19 vaccines supplied by foreign pharma companies raised by Aa Health club represents the issues of numerous Muslims in the nation.
Secretary general of the Center for the Syarikat Islam Ideological Defense (Perisai), Harjono, for example, has actually made an earnest request to Indonesian authorities to guarantee the halal status of China’s Sinovac vaccine before its mass use under the vaccination program.
In addition, Perisai has likewise advised the BPOM to conduct a thorough and rigid study on the vaccine prior to granting it EUA for safety factors.
Harjono contended that the halal status and safety of the Chinese vaccine are vital and vital identifying consider its mass acceptance amidst the fact that the portion decrease in the incidence of infection among those in the vaccinated groups remains unidentified.
He likewise sought continued openness from the BPOM relating to the research study procedure and comprehensiveness in its clinical research study on the Chinese vaccine, and asked it to take public safety into account prior to approving approval for the vaccine’s distribution.
” The BPOM needs to beware and transparent in the research study procedure since the value of people’s security goes beyond whatever. There should be scientific requirements used by the agency for the sake of responsibility,” he remarked.
Harjono then urged communities to support and supervise medical trials of the vaccine to make sure that the standardization procedure of examinations is fulfilled before the BPOM issues its EUA.
To this end, he urged the firm to not disregard any scientific standardization of the medical trials of the Sinovac vaccine for the sole goal of fulfilling a “due date”.
” We believe there is a targeted timeframe and accomplishment that the government is eager to protect. The BPOM is anticipated to stay dedicated to strictly applying the scientific standardization to guarantee effectiveness, quality (of the vaccine), and security for the community,” he said.
The government’s efforts to motivate the whole nation to get vaccinated should be supported to create herd immunity among members of communities, but the concerns of “halal” status along with effectiveness, quality, efficiency, and security of the vaccines also require to be attended to candidly, he included. (INE)
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