BPOM Ensures Emergency Permit For Sinovac Vaccine Is Out Before Jokowi Is Injected January 13

JAKARTA - Head of the Food and Drug Administration (BOPM) Penny K. Lukito confirmed that the emergency use authorization (EUA) or emergency permit for the Sinovac vaccine will be issued before the government's target to start vaccination on January 13.

It is scheduled that President Jokowi will be the first person to be injected with the vaccine on January 13. The vaccine to be used is Sinovac which has also been distributed in all provinces.

"Regarding the certainty of the EUA, the government has planned for January 13 to carry out the vaccination. We are confident that we will issue the EUA before that date," Penny said in a virtual press conference, Friday, January 8.

Although the commencement date of vaccination has been determined by the government, it does not mean that BPOM is urgently required to provide EUA before January 13.

Penny said that the BPOM's confidence in issuing an emergency permit for the Sinovac vaccine before January 13 was based on the belief that the safety aspect was good.

Penny said the results of the efficacy or the ability to provide benefits for people who undergo clinical trials of injecting vaccines will be delivered in the near future, before giving emergency clearance.

"We will convey the complete determination of the efficacy in Indonesia, when we issue the EUA. This is related to statistics (efficacy results) in Brazil and Turkey. So, we have no doubt associated with statistical methods and clinical trial methods that have been carried out in Indonesia. Bandung, "he explained.

Previously, it was stated that President Joko Widodo was scheduled to undergo an injection of the COVID-19 vaccine made by Sinovac on January 13. Jokowi will undergo vaccinations with other parties.

"The president will be vaccinated on Wednesday, January 13 and the procedure for the process will be discussed this Friday. So, whoever may have representatives and the process (will be discussed), not just any steps," said Head of Presidential Secretariat Heru Budi Hartono.

Indonesia is known to have received 3 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine made by the Chinese pharmaceutical manufacturer Sinovac. The vaccine arrived in 2 batches, namely 1.2 million doses on December 6, 2020 and 1.8 million doses on December 31, 2020.