President Jokowi: Safety is Top Priority in COVID-19 Vaccination

President Jokowi accompanied by Minister of Health and Mayor of Bogor, visits Tanah Sareal Community Health Center, Bogor, Wednesday (18/11). Photo by: Press Bureau of Presidential Secretariat/Kris.

Safety is the highest priority for the upcoming COVID-19 vaccination and the Government will always comply with scientific principles in vaccine procurement, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has said.

“Complying with scientific principles is imperative. We are committed to ensuring that safety and security is our top priority,” the President said after inspecting the simulation of COVID-19 vaccination at Tanah Sareal Community Health Center in Bogor, Wednesday (18/11).

According to the President, the Government will use vaccine from brands listed by the World Health Organization (WHO).

After the vaccine arrives in Indonesia, he added, several procedures will be done to ensure the vaccine is safe for the public, adding that the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) as the supervisory agency will conduct standard testing and verification in advance to issue emergency use authorization (EUA) for the vaccine.

Considering the aforementioned procedures, the vaccination will begin at the end of this year or early next year, he added.

“We estimate the vaccination will start at the end of the year or at the beginning of the next year because the preparation is not only for receiving vaccine and injecting it, but we must also prepare for the distribution across the country,” the President said, adding that the distribution of COVID-19 vaccine is not easy as different vaccine requires different handling and different distribution model.

Regarding priority for vaccine recipients, the President stated that the first batch of vaccination will be provided for health workers, including doctors, nurses and medical personnel.

“Another priority list includes personnel of the TNI-Polri (the Indonesian National Defense Forces-the Indonesian National Police), state civil apparatus in public services, teachers, and then all of us,” he said.

On that occasion, President Jokowi also said that he is ready to be among the first recipients to be injected with the vaccine. (TGH/UN)

Translated by: Ridwan Ibadurrohman
Reviewed by: Muhammad Ersan Pamungkas