Erick Thohir: 1.2mn Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine Set for Free Vaccination Program

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The COVID-19 Mitigation and National Economic Recovery Committee Chief Executive, Erick Thohir, said the 1.2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines received from Sinovac woild be allocated for the government’s free vaccination program, while the rest to come would be set for an independent vaccination program.

“The vaccination will be carried out after obtaining permits from the BPOM (Food and Drug Monitoring Agency) and MUI (the Indonesian Ulema Council), and it is planned that they will arrive in January next year,” said Erick in a video conference today, Dec. 7.

The vaccinations will be carried out in two types: The subsidized immunization under the responsibility of the Health Minister, and the independent ones led by the State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) Ministry. 

The independent immunization program is targeting people who can afford to pay. Thus, the government plans to cooperate with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) and other business associations.

“The solution to this pandemic is cooperation, by maintaining health protocols together and helping affected people. Likewise with vaccination, I call on society to work together, and we have communicated with Kadin and many other associations,” Erick Thohir explained.

As reported previously, 1.2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine arrived at the Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Tangerang, on Sunday night, Dec. 6. The vaccines were imported from Chinese firm Sinovac Life Science Corporate Ltd and received by state-owned pharmaceutical giant Bio Farma.

Read: 15mn More COVID-19 Vaccine Materials to Arrive This Month

CAESAR AKBAR