Minister Of Health Budi Says Combination Booster Vaccination Can Be More Immune To COVID-19 Of The Same Type

Illustration-(Photo: DOK ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The third or booster dose of COVID-19 vaccination, which will start tomorrow, uses a combination method. That is, the booster vaccine is given with a different type from the primary vaccine (first and second doses) that the previous vaccination target received.

Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin said that the administration of this heterologous vaccine could provide a COVID-19 immune effect or increase antibodies that are better than homologous vaccines or the same type of primary vaccine.

"Several studies from within and outside the country have shown that heterologous booster vaccines or booster vaccines with different types of combinations show antibody increases that are relatively the same or better than homologous booster vaccines or booster vaccines of the same type", Budi said in a virtual press conference on Tuesday, January 11th.

Budi explained that there are three alternatives for giving booster vaccination with a combination method. This booster vaccine will be given half the dose.

First, for the primary vaccine or the first and second doses using Sinovac, a half dose of Pfizer booster will be given. Second, the Sinovac primary vaccine will be given a half-dose booster of AstraZeneca. Third, the AstraZeneca primary vaccine will be given a half-dose booster of Moderna.

"The combination of booster vaccines that will be given may increase the types of combinations", said Budi.

Furthermore, Budi said that all combinations of booster vaccines have received approval from the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM), Indonesian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (ITAGI), as well as WHO recommendations.

"Each country is given the freedom to be able to implement a booster vaccine program in accordance with the availability of vaccines and logistics in accordance with each country implementing the booster vaccine", explained Budi.

The booster vaccination which will be carried out tomorrow will prioritize the elderly and the vulnerable (immunicompromized) groups. Booster recipients must have been vaccinated with two doses 6 months in advance.

This vaccination will be carried out at government-owned health care facilities such as health centers, government hospitals, and hospitals owned by local governments.