Ministry of Health Pays Attention To Sinovac and Pfizer for Children's COVID-19 Vaccination

Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, while giving a statement with the Minister of SOEs Erick Thohir and the Chair of the Covid-19 Handling Task Force (Photo: YouTube Screenshot of the Presidential Secretariat)

JAKARTA - Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, said his party had started planning a COVID-19 vaccination for children under 18 years of age. Because at this time exposure to the Coronavirus in children is starting to increase.

Currently, said Budi, the Ministry of Health is starting to look at two vaccine brands that have received emergency use authorization (EUA) from several countries.

"We are currently reviewing which vaccines already have EUA for young people. We have observed that there are two on our list, one is Sinovac which can be aged from 3 to 17 years, the other is Pfizer, which can be aged from 12 to 17" Budi said in a virtual press conference, Friday, June 25.

Sinovac (CoronaVac) is a vaccine brand produced by a Chinese company, Sinovac Biotech Ltd. Meanwhile, Pfizer is made by a company from the United States, BioNTech-Pfizer.

On the other hand, the government is also coordinating with the Indonesian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (ITAGI) on plans to provide vaccinations for children.

Then, the government also observed the provision of COVID-19 vaccinations to children in several countries that had already taken place.

"Hopefully soon, through decisions in countries in Europe, America, Asia how they treat vaccines for under 18 years and in which group (age group) they give it", said Budi.

"Thus, we can make a comprehensive decision based on the data we have, the use of policy in other countries, and also the EUA health scientific data that has been given to the vaccine company", he continued.