Herd Immunity Requires Higher Vaccination Rate, Says IDI Expert
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25 August 2021 22:15 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) deputy chairperson Slamet Budiarto on Wednesday suggested the government vaccinate 86 percent of the Indonesian population to achieve herd immunity.
Budiarto said that this suggestion was heavily based on the efficacy of the Sinovac vaccine of up to 70 percent. Sinovac is the prominent vaccine brand for Indonesia’s mass vaccination.
“The Sinovac vaccine’s efficacy is 70 percent, which means 86 percent of the entire population must be vaccinated,” said Slamet in the House Hearing with Commission IX legislators on August 25. “These two aspects determine the realization of a herd immunity.”
He also referred to an Australian medical journal, stating that a deeper analysis must be conducted to determine the number of people that must be vaccinated considering the usage of low efficacy vaccines.
According to the IDI deputy chief, a 95 percent vaccine efficacy must at least cover 63 percent of the total population and if the efficacy is 90 percent, then the number of population that must be vaccinated rises to 66 percent to reach herd immunity. He said that vaccines with 70 percent efficacy must at least inoculate 86 percent of the population.
The government is eyeing to inoculate 208 million people in Indonesia by the end of this year. He, therefore, said that the government must supply more Covid-19 vaccines. If the target could not be achieved, Budiarto suggested the government administer third vaccine dose or vaccine booster for those who received the Covid-19 shots in January, February, March, and April 2021.
Read: Herd Immunity Feasible if Vaccine Efficacy Over 80%: Expert
BUDIARTI UTAMI PUTRI