Minister: Booster Shots Administered Based on Vaccine Availability, Research Results

President Jokowi receives the first shot of COVID-19 vaccine (Photo by: PR/Jay)

The Government has announced it will start administering booster shots to public tomorrow on Wednesday (01/12) by taking into account the current availability of COVID-19 vaccine in the country.

“The Government will provide booster vaccination by ensuring the availability of vaccine supply this year since the types of vaccines will be different from those available at vaccine development facilities last year. We also consider the research results conducted by domestic and foreign researchers,” Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin said in a press statement on Technical Implementation of COVID-19 Booster Vaccination, which was aired on Ministry of Health’s YouTube channel, Tuesday (01/11).

According to the Minister, the research results of five booster vaccines have been confirmed by the Indonesian Food and Drug Administration (BPOM) and the Indonesia Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (ITAGI).

For the record, the BPOM has issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for five types of booster vaccines, namely CoronaVac or Bio Farma’s COVID-19 vaccine, Comirnaty vaccine by Pfizer, AstraZeneca vaccine (Vaxzevria and Kconecavac), Moderna vaccine, and Zifivax vaccine.

The Minister explained that booster vaccine with a half dose of Pfizer vaccine and AstraZeneca vaccine in each will be administered to people who received Sinovac vaccine as a complete primary series, while a half dose of Moderna vaccine will be administered to those who received AstraZeneca vaccine as a complete primary series.

“We will provide this initial combination of booster vaccines based on the availability of existing vaccines and also research results that have been approved by the BPOM and the ITAGI, which can later develop depending on the results of new research and the availability of existing vaccines,” Budi said.

On that occasion, the Minister conveyed that the implementation of the third dose of vaccination will be carried out in state-owned health service facilities, such as community health centers (Puskesmas), government-run hospitals, and regional governments-run hospitals.

The Government will also maintain cooperation with the private sector through the mutual cooperation vaccination program.

“We also maintain the mutual cooperation vaccination program which has been underway. The vaccine is free of charge for the public with different types of vaccines administered in the Government program,” he said.

Closing his press statement, the Minister expressed hope that with the start of the third-dose vaccination program, the Indonesian people could be protected from another possible COVID-19 wave.

“Hopefully, this program can make the Indonesian people healthier and stronger in facing the potential new waves of COVID-19,” he remarked. (DND/UN) (RIF/MUR)