Indonesia Yet Starting Covid-19 Vaccination for 6-11 Years Old Children

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Food and Drugs Monitoring Agency or BPOM has issued the emergency use authorization of Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine for children aged 6-11 years. Despite the green light, the government has yet to begin the vaccination.

The Chief of the National Commission on Post-Immunization Accidents (PP KIPI), Hinky Hindra Irawan Satari, said there are several requirements before starting the immunization for the children. "Only the emergency use authorization has been issued," Hindra said Thursday, Nov. 4.

Following the EUA, the government needs to calculate the stocks, set the regulation, as well as preparing the distribution and administration of the vaccines. "Hopefully, early next year [we] can start administering Covid-19 vaccines to children aged 6-11 years," he explained.

The data on the children is related to the number of vaccines and the budget needed by the government. It also depends on the stock of the vaccines from the distributors. The government also needs to prepare the vaccinators for the children.

As for the regulation, the government needs to set a technical procedure on the Covid-19 vaccination for children aged 6-11, in order to create a proper and effective work flow in the field. The vaccines will be given in two doses in four weeks or one month interval. Besides Sinovac, BPOM also conducting research on the use of Sinopharm vaccine for the same children group age.

Read: IDAI to Release Detailed Recommendations of Vaccinations for Children

Antara