COVID-19 Vaccine Arrives Using Garuda Aircraft, Airlangga: This Is A Real Step For The Government To Save The People

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto. (Photo: Doc. Of the Presidential Secretariat)

JAKARTA - The Coordinating Minister (Menko) for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto said the arrival of the COVID-19 vaccine produced by Sinovac was the initial momentum for the government's concrete steps in saving the Indonesian people from the threat of the virus.

Not only that, he said, vaccination would also increase the nation's confidence in carrying out socio-economic activities.

"The vaccination will further build our sense of security and self-confidence, as a nation in carrying out socio-economic activities to support resilience, health, boost productivity and to maintain and increase national economic growth," he said, quoted from a live broadcast on the YouTube account of the Presidential Secretariat, Sunday, December 6th.

However, Airlangga warned, don't just rely on vaccinations. According to him, the COVID-19 health protocol must still be implemented in dealing with the pandemic.

"3T, 3M and vaccinations must go hand in hand until all of us in Indonesia around the world are completely free from the COVID-19 pandemic," he said.

Airlangga explained that even though the vaccine had arrived, it still had to go through the evaluation stage of the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (Badan POM) to ensure quality, safety and effectiveness aspects. In addition, we are waiting for the fatwa of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) regarding its halal aspects.

Not only that, Airlangga also said that the vaccination scheme is divided into two, namely the government program vaccine which is provided free of charge and the independent vaccine which is provided for a fee.

"Detailed rules for both schemes will be published in the next one or two weeks with increasing discipline in the implementation of health protocols through 3M and 3T," he explained.

As previously reported, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said that the COVID-19 vaccine has arrived in Indonesia. This vaccine is produced by Sinovac, a company from China. The number of vaccines that have arrived in the country is 1.2 million doses.

Furthermore, Jokowi said that the arrival of this vaccine is good news and new hope in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

"Today the government has received 1.2 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. This vaccine is made by Sinovac, which we have been testing clinically in Bandung since August 2020," he said, quoted from a live broadcast on the Youtube account of the Presidential Secretariat, Sunday, December 6. .

As is known, the COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Indonesia via Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Cengkareng, tonight around 21.25 WIB. The vaccine is transported using an aircraft belonging to the airline PT Garuda Indonesia Tbk, a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

Vaccines are transported using a special container labeled ENVIROTAINER coded RAP81179PC. Several officers were seen spraying the newly arrived counter.