Indonesia begins emergency use of COVID-19 vaccine

Indonesian President Joko Widodo received the first injection of a COVID-19 vaccine made in China after Indonesia approved it for emergency use

JAKARTA, Indonesia – Indonesian President Joko Widodo received the first injection of a Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday after Indonesia approved it for emergency use and began efforts to vaccinate millions of people in the world’s fourth most populous country.

After Widodo, senior military, police and medical officials were vaccinated, along with the secretary of the Indonesian Council of Ulemas, the religious body that last week ruled the vaccine to be halal and can be taken by Muslims.

“This vaccine is the instrument we can use to protect ourselves. But more importantly, the vaccine is the instrument to protect our family, our neighbor, the Indonesian people and human civilization, ”Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said on Wednesday.

“This vaccine is given to achieve collective immunity. The 70% of the world’s population must be vaccinated to achieve this. The participation of all Indonesians will greatly determine the success of this program, ”he said.

Conditional use of Sinovac Biotech Ltd. should be deployed in the coming months, with health workers, civil servants and other at-risk populations being prioritized first. It will be free for all Indonesian citizens.

For Indonesia to vaccinate two-thirds of its population, 181.5 million people, to achieve herd immunity, Sadikin said the two-dose vaccine would require nearly 427 million doses, including the estimate that 15% could be wasted.

Distribution will not be easy in the vast archipelago where transport and infrastructure are inadequate in places. Health officials have raised concerns about keeping the vaccine in the refrigerator at the required temperature of 36 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit to maintain its safety and effectiveness.

“We know that the distribution of the cold chain is not complete. That’s the obstacle, ”Sadikin said on Tuesday. “The cold chain facilities are not sufficient, so we continue to distribute part of the vaccines. We are worried.”

Indonesia received its first shipment of Sinovac vaccine on December 6 and locked it in a cold room surrounded by armed guards. Authorities have started distributing the vaccines in key locations across the country pending clearance for emergency use.

The vaccine was cleared for emergency use based on clinical trial data and after the Indonesian Ulema Council declared the vaccine holy and halal.

Indonesia’s vaccination program is the first large-scale use of the Sinovac vaccine outside of China.

Indonesia has recorded more than 846,000 cases of the virus, including more than 24,600 deaths.

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