JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) – Indonesian President Joko Widodo received the first blow of a Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday after Indonesia approved it for emergency use and began vaccinating efforts on millions of people in the fourth country with the largest population in the world.
According to Widodo, top military, police and medical officials were vaccinated, as well as the secretary of the Ulema Council in Indonesia, the clerical body that last week decided the vaccine was halal and could be taken by Muslims. Others, such as a health worker, business people and a factor in social media, also received photos to encourage people to receive the vaccine when it is available to them.
“We need to vaccinate to stop the spread of COVID-19 and to protect the health and safety of all Indonesians. It will also help accelerate economic improvement, “said Widodo.
“This vaccine is the tool we can use to protect ourselves. But, more importantly, the vaccine is the tool that protects our family, neighbor, Indonesians and human civilization, “said Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin on Wednesday.
“This vaccine is given to get the herd immunity. All 70% of the world’s people need to be vaccinated to achieve this. The participation of all Indonesians will greatly determine the success of this program, “he said.
The conditional use of the Sinovac Biotech Ltd. vaccine is scheduled to be launched in the coming months, with health workers, civil servants and other populations at priority risk. It will be free for all Indonesian citizens.
For Indonesia to vaccinate two-thirds of its population, 181.5 million people, Sadikin said the two-shot vaccine would require nearly 427 million doses, including an estimate that 15% could be wasted.
Distribution will not be easy in the vast archipelago where transport and infrastructure are limited in places. Health officials mentioned concerns about keeping the vaccine in the refrigerator at 36-46 degrees Fahrenheit needed to maintain its safety and effectiveness.
“We know that the distribution of the cold chain is not complete. That is the obstacle, “Sadikin said on Tuesday. “The facilities of the cold chain are not enough, so we are still distributing some vaccines. We are worried.”
Indonesia received its first shipment of Sinovac vaccines on December 6 and began distributing doses across the country pending emergency use authorization. It was approved for emergency use based on clinical trial data and after the Indonesian Council Ulema declared the vaccine holy and halal.
Indonesia’s vaccination program is the first widespread use of the Sinovac vaccine outside of China.
Indonesia has more than 846,000 cases of the virus, including more than 24,600 deaths.
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