TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Health Ministry’s Research and Development Agency has conducted a quick review of the effectivity rate of the Sinovac vaccine against COVID-19 in terms of treatment and death rates, particularly for health workers in Jakarta.

“Vaccinations have reduced the risks of treatment and death by 98 percent, which is significantly higher than those of the individuals who just received their first dose, which is only effective to reduce the risks of symptomatic COVID-19,” said the leader of the ministry’s Vaccine Effectivity Research Team, Pandji Dhewanatara, as quoted from the ministry’s official website on Friday, May 14, 2021.

The quick review, conducted from January 13 to March 18, 2021, was focusing on health workers in Jakarta under a retrospective cohort study design, i.e., tracing the health history of all involved individuals.

The review involved over 128 thousand people above 18 years of age—60 percent of them were women at an average age of 30.

According to Panji, the analysis reveals the complete doses of Sinovac vaccine have successfully reduced the risks of COVID-19 by 94 percent, prevented around 96 percent of the treatment risks of COVID-19 and 98 percent of the death risks of COVID-19.

“This shows that complete vaccinations are highly recommended because the injection of the first dose alone is insufficient. If the public has received complete vaccinations, it will be more effective in bringing down the risks of COVID-19, both in terms of treatment and death risks,” he said.

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DEWI NURITA