MUI Completes Study Of The Halal Vaccine For COVID-19

Sinovac vaccine arrives at Soetta Airport (Source: State Secretariat)

JAKARTA - The Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy stated that the Halal Product Guarantee Agency (BPJPH) and the Indonesian Ulema Council (LPPOM MUI) Food and Drug Research Institute (LPPOM MUI) have finished conducting a halal study of the COVID-19 vaccine.

"From the halal requirements for the Sinovac vaccine, it is reported that the study by BPJPH or the halal product assurance agency and LPPOMUI has been completed," Muhadjir said as quoted by Antara, Monday, December 7.

After that, said Muhadjir, MUI would immediately issue a fatwa regarding the halalness of the COVID-19 vaccine to be used in Indonesia. For now, MUI is still in the process of drafting a fatwa regarding the COVID-19 vaccination in Indonesia.

Muhadjir, who is also part of one of the largest Islamic organizations in Indonesia, namely Muhammadiyah, said that the current condition of the COVID-19 pandemic is a life-threatening emergency. That way, if a drug or vaccine is declared not halal, it can still be used in an emergency if there is no halal drug or vaccine.

"If the status is emergency, to avoid death, it must be used, but if there is a drug or vaccine that is lawful, the use of the drug or vaccine must use the halal one," he said.

Currently, 1.2 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in finished form have arrived in Indonesia, Sunday, December 6.

Minister of Health Terawan Agus Putranto said the delivery of the vaccine was the procurement of the first phase of the 3 million COVID-19 vaccines in the form of the inactivated SARS CoV-2 virus.

Furthermore, the COVID-19 vaccine will soon be issued an emergency use of authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Administration (BPOM). The first stage of the COVID-19 vaccination will prioritize health workers, assistant health workers, and supporting health workers working in health facilities.