The Food and Drug Administration Issues AstraZeneca Vaccine Emergency Permit

JAKARTA - The Food and Drug Administration (BPOM) issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) or emergency permit for the AstraZeneca corona vaccine developed by Oxford University.

Head of BPOM Penny Lukito said the issuance of the permit was carried out after evaluating the AstraZeneca vaccine in collaboration with a number of related parties.

"Based on the evaluation results, BPOM issued EUA on February 22, 2021, against the AstraZeneca vaccine", Penny said in a virtual press conference, Tuesday, March 9.

Penny explained that the side effects of the vaccine are still normal. The majority were only local and seismic reactions.

"The results of the overall safety evaluation of 4-12 weeks of dosing are categorized as safe", he said.

Penny added, BPOM has also received the results of the vaccine's efficacy, which is 62 percent. Meanwhile, the WHO safe limit is 50 percent.

It is known, as many as 1.1 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine arrived yesterday afternoon. Apart from Indonesia, this vaccine has been used in a number of countries such as the UK, Germany, and South Korea.