SMRC Survey: More People Are Willing To Get Vaccinated By AstraZeneca Despite Reaping Polemic

JAKARTA - The survey institute Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting (SMRC) released an opinion poll regarding the AstraZeneca brand of COVID-19 vaccine.

As a result, more people admit that they are willing to accept the vaccine despite of resulting a polemic about the halal-haram.

Initially, the respondents were asked about their knowledge of the AstraZeneca vaccine. As a result, only 38 percent of the population knew that the government had procured the vaccine from England. Meanwhile, 62 percent of respondents were not aware of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

"Of those who know, 55 percent have heard the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) declare the vaccine is haram but can be used", said SMRC Research Director Deni Irvani in a written statement, March 29.

Then, from those who have heard the MUI statement, there are more people who claim to want to be vaccinated using AstraZeneca, which is around 53 percent. As many as 34 percent of respondents were not willing, and 14 percent of respondents did not answer.

"However, the residents' interest in vaccination using the AstraZeneca-Oxford is relatively low because it is below the target (participation in the vaccination program) of at least 70 percent", he explained.

This survey was conducted in the period of March 23-26, 2020. The survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews with 1.401 randomly selected respondents. The survey's margin of error is estimated at 2.7 percent and the survey's confidence level is 95 percent.

Previously, the government had distributed the AstraZeneca vaccine to seven provinces, in the midst of a polemic about the halal or haram of COVID-19 vaccine from England.

Provinces that will receive vaccine quota from England are in DKI Jakarta, Maluku, East Nusa Tenggara, North Sulawesi, Bali, East Java, and Riau Islands.

The AstraZeneca vaccine targets the second stage of vaccination priority groups, namely public service officials and the elderly. The reason the AstraZeneca vaccine is distributed to the seven provinces is that it is based on considerations of areas that have priority tourism sectors and holding international events.

The AstraZeneca vaccine is distributed when there is a polemic about halal or haram. Chairman of the MUI Fatwa Commission Asrorun Niam Sholeh said the composition of the British vaccine contained pork trypsin which is forbidden by Muslims.

"The legal provisions are that the first vaccine AstraZeneca products are haram because the production stages use trypsin from pigs", said Asrorun.

However, the head of the East Java Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) Hasan Mutawakkil said that the AstraZeneca brand of COVID-19 vaccine was halal to use. This differs from the central MUI fatwa which makes AstraZeneca haram.

"The President immediately listened to the opinions and responses of the priests and the boarding school caregivers, that the AstraZeneca vaccine is halal to be used", said Hasan.