Indonesia Unable to Develop Vaccine Yet: Covid-19 Spokesman
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13 March 2020 13:42 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The government's Covid-19 response spokesman Achmad Yurianto said that Indonesia is unable to develop a vaccine for the new coronavirus that causes the disease. Yurianto learned this after speaking with a professor and researcher at the Eijkman Institute's Molecular Biology Institute, Amin Subandrio.
"I have talked to Professor Amin from Eijkman, he said we are still unable to do the initial vaccine design as we do not have enough specimens to look for a model," Yurianto said at the Presidential Palace Complex on Thursday, March 13.
Nevertheless, Yurianto said there are a number of countries that have begun researching vaccines to prevent the new coronavirus. One of them is China. The country, where the virus originated from, is trying to research vaccines that can prevent it from replicating.
"But this is still a trial. So far, nothing is official yet," he said.
In terms of budget, Yurianto said Indonesia is ready to deal with Covid-19.
"This is a disaster, and we have funds that are ready to use. These are on-top funds, and the accountability [for the uses] will be submitted to the BNPB," he said.
Dewi Nurita
