BPOM Greenlights Five COVID-19 Booster Vaccines

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) has issued emergency use of authorization (EUA) for five COVID-19 booster vaccines, as announced by BPOM Head Penny Lukito on Monday, January 10, 2022.

“There are five vaccines that have secured EUA and passed through the evaluation process carried out by the expert teams of the drug/vaccine assessment national committee and procured recommendations and met the predetermined criteria, so they can proceed with the granting of EUA,” Penny said in a virtual press conference.

The first COVID-19 vaccine is the Coronavac COVID-19 Biofarma, which will be used as a homologous booster dose administered six months after the primary Coronavac vaccination for those aged 18 years old and over.

The second is the Pfizer vaccine, which will also be used as a homologous booster vaccine of the RMNA platform. A dose of Pfizer will be administered six months after the primary vaccination for people aged 18 years old and older.

The third is the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is also a homologous booster dose, and the fourth is the Moderna vaccine, which can serve as either homologous or heterologous booster vaccine. The fifth vaccine is the Zivifax vaccine, a heterologous vaccine booster for the Sinovac or the Sinopharm vaccines that is also given at least six months after the primary vaccination.

“We all realize that booster vaccines are necessary so we can immediately overcome this pandemic,” the BPOM Head said.

Read: Paid Vaccine Boosters Provide More Options for Public: Health Ministry

EGI ADYATAMA