Minister Of Health: Foreign Aid AstraZeneca Vaccine In Yogyakarta Approaching Expiration

ILLUSTRATION/UNSPLASH

JAKARTA - Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said the AstraZeneca vaccine available in the Special Region of Yogyakarta was nearing its expiration date. Therefore it is necessary to accelerate the injection.

"We have identified it, now we are pursuing it so that Yogyakarta can quickly inject the vaccine," said Budi Gunadi Sadikin, quoted by Antara, Tuesday, October 26.

Minister of Health Budi said that the AstraZeneca vaccine was part of foreign aid, so its shelf life was relatively short.

"We are monitoring the expiration date, because some vaccines aided from abroad are close to expiration," he said.

The closest expiration date is at the end of October 2021 for the AstraZeneca type that has not been injected in Yogyakarta, said Budi.

The Minister of Health ensures that the stock of COVID-19 vaccine in Tamah Air is in excess. "We have received 248 million doses," he said.

According to Budi, 237 million doses of that amount have been sent to provinces and districts/cities in Indonesia. "Today, 184 million doses have been injected. So, there are still 53 million more doses in stock in the regions," he said.

The Ministry of Health encourages related parties in Yogyakarta to immediately spend the available vaccine stock.

"There are several vaccines that we distribute to other areas, if it turns out that Yogyakarta is unable to inject the vaccine," continued the Minister of Health.