UI Professor: COVID-19 Vaccine It Is Better To Stay Free

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Professor of Pulmonology at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia (UI) Prof. Tjandra Yoga Aditama suggested that the COVID-19 vaccine should still be given free of charge even though the pandemic is over, for the next few years.

"This is a disease that (ever) became an extraordinary pandemic, so of course it would be good if the state protected its citizens against this disease, even though it would not be a pandemic," he said, quoted from Antara, Saturday, February 11.

Prof. Tjandra, who now serves as Director of Postgraduate at YARSI University, said that the government would later be able to re-evaluate the provision of the COVID-19 vaccine to the public.

This suggestion comes as the possibility of a paid COVID-19 vaccine. The Ministry of Health stated that it was still discussing the paid COVID-19 vaccine plan and ensuring that the second booster or booster vaccine was given to the public was still free.

The government has started the second COVID-19 booster vaccination program for the general public aged 18 years and over on January 24, 2023 throughout Indonesia. The government urges the public to carry out this vaccination to increase awareness of the emergence of the XBB 1.5 subvariant known as the Omicron Kraken.

Prof. Tjandra noted that there are still things related to vaccines that are not yet fully known for sure, namely vaccinations are repeated, the time of repetition and the vaccine used remains the same or changes according to the variant that will occur later.

"Whether the vaccine will be repeated every six months. If it has to be repeated, we also don't know how long it will take, how many years will it take or for life or what," he said.

Furthermore, Prof. Tjandra, who once served as Director of Infectious Diseases of WHO Southeast Asia, also suggested that not only vaccines, but also long-COVID financing that should be borne by the Government.

According to him, in general there are two long COVID problems, namely the remaining symptoms after being sick with COVID-19 and the increased risk of cardiovascular disorders and metabolic diseases after being infected with COVID-19.