BRIN: Merah Putih Vaccines Can Be Used For Boosters And Regular Vaccinations

Head of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) Laksana Tri Handoko. (Photo: Martha Herlinawati Simanjuntak/Antara)

JAKARTA - Head of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) Laksana Tri Handoko said the Merah Putih vaccine could be used as a "booster" and regular vaccination of the COVID-19 vaccine.

"All vaccines, whatever they are, can be used for boosters or regular vaccinations. The important thing is that they are available first," he said when contacted by Antara in Jakarta, Friday, December 3.

He said the challenge for researchers in developing vaccines, in general, is not easy because it takes a lot of trials to get the most optimal formula to get vaccine seeds.

The vaccine seeds must also have a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standard according to regulations.

According to him, the industry in the country is ready for the development and production of new vaccines with two platforms, namely based on an inactivated virus and recombinant protein.

Currently, the fastest progress on the development of the Merah Putih vaccine is being carried out by a team from Airlangga University (Unair) Surabaya in collaboration with PT Biotis, and a team from the Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology in collaboration with PT Bio Farma.

"Eijkman developed a vaccine seed platform based on recombinant protein sub-units, while Unair developed a virus-based vaccine seed that was killed or inactivated," he said.

His party emphasized that the main target of developing the Merah Putih vaccine was not to "win" the efficacy, because as long as it meets the standards of the World Health Organization (WHO), namely efficacy above 50 percent, the vaccine can already be used, said Laksana Tri Handoko.