Erick Thohir Notes Covid-19 Vaccination in 2020 is Likely Possible

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Minister Erick Thohir said that there will be 30 million Covid-19 vaccines available before the end of 2020, once clinical trials have been passed. Erick made his statement on Thursday, August 27, 2020, during a hearing with the House of Representatives (DPR).

According to Erick, who is also the head of the Covid-19 handling and national economic recovery committee, the 30 million doses will be obtained from partnerships between state-pharmaceutical firm Bio Farma and Kimia Farma and United Arab Emirates' G42 and China's Sinovac Biotech. 

"Supposedly one person requires two doses, then 15 million will be vaccinated at the end of 2020 if clinical trials run smoothly," said Erick Thohir to Commission IX House Legislators.

Erick also presented the government's plan regarding the distribution of the Covid-19 vaccine. Each person will be given two doses of vaccine in one week interval between vaccinations. 

"As a note, the Covid-19 vaccine that is discovered today will last from six months up to two years," said Erick Thohir who assures that candidate vaccine trials are constantly being held.

Meanwhile, the Covid-19 committee's future plans include strengthening partnerships with other countries to obtain more potential vaccines. Erick also proposed a free-of-charge vaccination for underprivileged people using funding from the BPJS Kesehatan and the state budget.

EKO WAHYUDI l EGI ADYATMA