TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) has officially authorized five COVID-19 vaccines to be used for vaccine boosters. They are CoronaVac or Bio Farma's COVID-19 Vaccine, Comirnaty by Pfizer, AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria and Kconecavac), Moderna, and Zifivax.

“The approval of the vaccine booster is based on immunogenicity data from the latest clinical trials which showed a significant decrease in antibody levels after six months of the primary vaccine shots,” said the agency head Penny K Lukito in a statement, Tuesday, Jan. 11.

The agency had conducted a safety and efficacy study on booster shots made by a number of vaccines since November 2021. From the study, it was decided that the booster shot could use the same vaccine brand (homologous vaccination) and different vaccine brands (heterologous vaccination).

CoronaVac or Bio Farma’s COVID-19 vaccine is the first to be licensed as a homologous booster dose that could be given six months after a primary vaccination course.

Comirnaty Vaccine made by Pfizer as a homologous booster could be given one dose, at least after six months after the primary vaccination course.

AstraZeneca vaccine as a homologous booster could also be given at least one dose, six months after the complete primary vaccination course.

Moderna vaccine, meanwhile, could be used as a homologous and heterologous booster (with AstraZeneca, Pfizer, or Janssen primary vaccines). It could be given in a half dose, at least six months after the primary vaccination course.

Zifivax vaccine as a heterologous booster could be given in a full dose for people ages 18 years or older, at least six months after the primary vaccination course using Sinovac or Sinopharm.

The government was determined to administer vaccine boosters for people aged 18 years and above starting tomorrow, January 12.

“In accordance with the WHO recommendation, the government will give a booster/advanced dose of vaccine with priority administration for high-risk populations, namely the elderly, health workers, and groups of individuals who have immune system problems (immunocompromized),” said Penny.

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