Why Did The U.S. Dare To Create A Policy To Release Masks After COVID-19 Vaccination?

ILLUSTRATION/BETWEEN

JAKARTA - Professor of Lung Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia (FKUI) Prof Tjandra Yoga Aditama said the policy of the relevant authorities in the United States (USA) to remove masks outdoors is influenced by the results of research on different types of vaccines used in Indonesia.

"The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) made these recommendations based on the results of research into the vaccines they use, namely Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson &Johnson," he was quoted as saying friday, May 14.

While the vaccine is now valid in Indonesia based on an emergency use permit (EUA) issued by the Food and Drug Administration (BPOM), he said, among them Sinovac, AstraZeneca and Sinopharm.

But in the future, said Tjandra, it is possible that vaccines in the U.S. are also used in Indonesia because some of them are already listed in the Decree (SK) of the Minister of Health No. 84 of 2020 on the Implementation of Vaccination in order to Counter the Corona Virus Disease Pandemic 2019 (COVID-19).

"Some vaccines in the United States are planned to be used also in Indonesia," he said.

Prof Tjandra Yoga stated that the study of vaccines in Indonesia is still conducted by the Ministry of Health and related authorities.

"Let's just wait how the official direction from the Ministry of Health, of course depends on the results of scientific research on existing vaccines," he said.

According to Prof Tjandra Yoga, U.S. authorities are fairly strict in the use of vaccines for people and immigrants in the country.

"My son was only a week in New York, and in Jakarta had received injections of the Sinovac vaccine twice, but arrived in the U.S. asked for vaccinated that has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Confused also decided, no literature that can be Sinovac then should be able to Pfizer or Moderna again," he explained

Separately, Government Spokesperson for COVID-19, Prof Wiku Adisasmito, said vaccination policy is one of the three main layers of community protection to avoid contracting COVID-19.

"The first is 3M, which is washing hands, wearing masks and avoiding crowds. Second, is 3T, namely tracing, testing, treatment, and the third is vaccination," he was quoted as saying by Antara.

During the pandemic is not over and there is not enough scientific evidence to suggest the vaccination has caused enough immunity of a person or comuna. Therefore, the COVID-19 Task Force said implementing the three layers of protection simultaneously is to protect public health and safety in order to be productive and safe from COVID-19.