Luhut Loves Good News: December, The COVID-19 Vaccine Is Available In Indonesia

JAKARTA - The Coordinating Minister for Investment and Maritime Affairs, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, said that the COVID-19 vaccine, which has entered the final testing phase in several countries, will soon enter Indonesia. According to Luhut, the vaccine is targeted to be available early December this year.

"The first vaccine will enter Indonesia in early December, hopefully it can be faster," he said, at the virtual exhibition of Indonesian Trinkets, 16 September.

Luhut admitted that he had previously spoken with the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to ask for an additional 20 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine this year for Indonesia.

"If this schedule runs well, 30 million vaccines to 40 million this year, then our critical time is two months ahead, after that the first quarter of next year the situation will get better," he said.

According to Luhut, in the next two months health protocols must continue to be implemented properly in order to reduce the number of transmission of the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.

Previously, the government had established a distribution scheme for the COVID-19 vaccine, which is planned to start mass production in December-January 2021. There are two schemes set, namely free and paid vaccines.

The free vaccine is intended for BPJS Kesehatan participants. Meanwhile, paid or independent vaccines for high-income people. The government has estimated the price of independent vaccines per person.

The government opens the door to any country that finds a vaccine for COVID-19. Various countries such as the United States, Britain and China are currently undergoing clinical trials for the COVID-19 vaccine.

Not only working with Sinovac, a pharmaceutical company from China, the government is also exploring cooperation with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) in collaboration with British pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca.

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said the price of this vaccine from China would be priced at 10 to 20 US dollars (US). If calculated using a dollar exchange rate of Rp. 15,000, a vaccine from China ranges from Rp. 150,000 to Rp. 300,000.

Meanwhile, Airlangga stated that the price of vaccines developed by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparations Inovation (CEPI) would be cheaper.

Airlangga said the price of vaccines from the two agencies would be sold at around 3 to 5 US dollars or Rp 45,000 to Rp 75,000.

"Through GAVI and CEPI, the price of vaccines is estimated to be lower, 3 to 5 US dollars. Meanwhile, for Sinovac between 10 and 20 US dollars," he said, during the 'Virtual 100 Economist Workshop', Tuesday, September 15.

GAVI CEPI is a multilateral activity for various institutions and countries to obtain vaccines as a public service. Therefore, the price of this vaccine is cheaper.

Not only that, the government has also taken the initiative to produce a COVID-19 vaccine made by the nation's children, namely the red and white vaccine. The plan is that it will be provided in the third quarter of 2021.