Predict The Brand And Type Of Paid Covid-19 Vaccine That The Government Will Choose

Illustration. (Photo: Pixabay)

JAKARTA - State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir opens the opportunity to offer an independent, alias paid COVID-19 vaccine. As it is known, currently there is only one route for giving vaccines, namely through free vaccination by the government.

This free vaccination was decided after President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) asked his ministers to give the COVID-19 vaccine free to all Indonesians.

However, Erick emphasized that currently the government's priority is free vaccines. Meanwhile, independent vaccines are not yet a priority. Even so, his party did not close the option of independent vaccination.

"Of course, independent vaccines are not a priority, free vaccines are prioritized. But that does not turn a blind eye. Independent vaccines are also needed," he said at a working meeting with Commission VI of the House of Representatives, Wednesday, January 20.

Vaccines must be different types and brands

Erick explained that if the independent vaccine route is opened, the types and brands of vaccines will be different from the free vaccines provided by the government.

"If we are assigned an independent vaccine, of course, as directed by the leadership, there are several notes, one vaccine is of different types. So that free and independent ones are not mixed. So the vaccine brands are different," he said.

BUMN Minister Erick Thohir. (Photo: Ministry of BUMN)

Apart from the types of vaccines, said Erick, the timing of the independent and free vaccines will also be different. Where, the free vaccine will take precedence, only then will the independent vaccine be given.

"So the free vaccine must run, in the next 1 to 2 months, only later if someone is independent after that. We got (information) from yesterday's discussions," he said.

Regarding this independent vaccination, Erick is still waiting for an assignment from the Ministry of Health. This is because the BUMN Ministry will only carry out the tasks assigned by the central government.

"If indeed this is a decision with a clear legal umbrella, but actually in the Ministry of Health's decision at that time there is a free and independent vaccine. We just need to apply it, whether later assigned an independent vaccine to run or not," he said.

The Ministry of Health has determined 7 vaccines for use in Indonesia

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin determined seven types of COVID-19 vaccines that will be used for the implementation of vaccinations in the country. This stipulation is outlined in the Decree of the Minister of Health Number HK.01.07 / Menkes / 12758/2020 which was signed on Monday, December 28, 2020.

The types of COVID-19 vaccines that can be used in Indonesia are those produced by PT Bio Farma, AstraZeneca, Sinopharm, Moderna, Novavax Inc, Pfizer Inc and BioNTech and Sinovac.

Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin. (Photo: Doc. Setkab)

However, it was emphasized that the implementation of vaccination can only be done after the vaccine has obtained a distribution permit or an approval for use in an emergency period (EUA) from the BPOM.

Currently, the COVID-19 vaccine that has received permission to use in an emergency from the BPOM is a vaccine from a Chinese company, Sinovac. Sebamyak 3 million doses of vaccine have arrived in the country. A total of 1.2 million doses have been distributed to all provinces in Indonesia.

Vaccines are free

In a meeting with Commission VI yesterday, Erick revealed that this independent or paid vaccination would not use the Sinovac, AstraZeneca, and supplies from COVAX / GAVI. This is because the three types of vaccines are intended for free vaccinations from the government.

Referring to the seven lists of COVID-19 vaccines that are permitted for use in Indonesia, the remaining vaccines are Sinopharm, Moderna, Novavax Inc, and Pfizer Inc and BioNTech. This means that there is a possibility that the government will choose the type and brand of vaccine for paid vaccination.

As is known, the government has received certainty from COVAX / GAVI regarding the free vaccine that will be given. COVAX / GAVI will provide 54 million doses free of charge or free. However, there is still an option for Indonesia to get an additional 54 million doses. So that the total reaches 108 million doses.

If Indonesia manages to get 108 million doses of free vaccine from COVAX / GAVI, this will meet the vaccine needs of 20 percent of Indonesia's population.