There Are Residents With Fever To Fatigue, COVID-19 Vaccination With AstraZeneca In North Sulawesi Is Stopped

ILLUSTRATION / VACCINATION COVID-19 / ANTARA

MANADO - Vaccination for COVID-19 using the AstraZeneca vaccine in North Sulawesi has been temporarily suspended. The reason is that some people who are vaccinated feel the effects such as fever, chills, headaches, body aches and weakness.

"It has been temporarily stopped while waiting for an explanation and official statement from the Ministry of Health and WHO Indonesian Representatives regarding the official letter we sent March 26, 2021," said the Head of the North Sulawesi Provincial Health Office, dr Debie KR Kalalo MScPH in Manado, quoted by Antara, Saturday, March 27. .

The spokesman for the North Sulawesi COVID-19 Handling Acceleration Task Force, Dr. Steaven Dandel MPH, then clarified a number of points related to temporarily halting vaccination using AstraZeneca.

He said this was done as a precautionary measure considering that there was an incidence of Post-Immunization Associations (AEFI) of five to 10 percent of the total AstraZeneca vaccines.

AEFIs present in the form of symptoms of fever, chills, body aches, bone pain, nausea and vomiting.

Doctor Steaven explained in the 'Emergency Use Authorization' (EUA) of the AstraZeneca vaccine, it has actually been mentioned that AEFI is an adverse effect which is very frequent, meaning one in 10 injections) and often occurs (common -1 in 10 to 10 1 in 100 shots).

"We need to prepare risk communication to the public to accept this fact. So that there is no panic in the community," continued Steaven.

The risk communication taken was preceded by an investigation by Komda KIPI together with the Health Office, Ministry of Health and WHO.

"This step also needs to be taken to adjust the pattern and approach of vaccination, especially those that target business units or institutions. So that it is not done at the same time for employees. But gradually, so that the business unit does not need to be closed if there are many employees affected by AEFI," said Steaven.