Saudi Arabia Approves Sinovac And Sinopharm, Should The Pilgrims Have A Third Dose?

JAKARTA - The government of Saudi Arabia has approved the Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines. There are currently four vaccines approved for use in the Kingdom namely, AstraZeneca, Pfizer-BioNTech, Johnson & Johnson, and Moderna.

Previously, the departure of Indonesian Umrah pilgrims was hampered by Saudi Arabia's recognition of the two vaccines.

However, although it has now been approved, the Indonesian Ministry of Religion stated that the Saudi Arabian government has not opened the implementation of Umrah from abroad, including Indonesia. Thus, the issue of vaccines is not the cause of Indonesia not getting a quota to visit the Holy Land.

So if Saudi Arabia has opened a quota for overseas, how will the Indonesian Umrah pilgrims get the second dose of the vaccine? Should I get a third dose using Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, or AstraZeneca?

Responding to this question, the Head of the Hajj Health Center of the Indonesian Ministry of Health, Budi Sylvana, explained that the Indonesian government will provide whatever is best for prospective Umrah pilgrims who can go to the holy land. Including the matter of vaccination as a condition.

"I don't dare to assume, but the government, in this case, will definitely provide the best for the organizers of Hajj and Umrah. If you are asked to give another vaccine or what kind of vaccine, the government will definitely give the best", said Budi in a Webinar organized by AMPHURI (The Muslim Association of Hajj and Umrah Organizers of the Republic of Indonesia), Thursday, August 26.

According to him, regarding the provision of the third vaccine, the Ministry of Health must also consult with KCPPEN (Chairman of the Committee for Handling COVID-19 and National Economic Recovery)and all related parties so that later the implementation of Hajj and Umrah, especially those that are required, can run well.

"Don't let this become a turmoil because later, for example, there will be exceptions to Hajj and Umrah, others will ask questions like that. So what is clear is that we will give the best," said Budi.

"If it is necessary (the third dose of vaccine, ed) we will give the best. But for now, we are focused on maintaining that Sinovac can apply in Saudi. Because there are quite a lot of our citizens," he continued.

Budi added that his party still needed data to provide booster vaccines for prospective pilgrims. He emphasized that so far the vaccine used in Indonesia is the best vaccine to protect themselves from COVID-19.

"For example, if the data already exists with us, we can consider giving the vaccine. But we don't have the data yet. The important thing is to give this vaccination quickly. So the best vaccine for Indonesia is the one currently available. All are used by Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson are all used in Indonesia", said Budi.