This is to ensure the quality, safety, and effectiveness (of the vaccine) while awaiting the issuance of MUI's (Indonesian Ulemas Council’s) fatwa on halal status of the vaccine
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto elaborated that COVID-19 vaccination will only be conducted after a series of evaluation by the National Drug and Food Agency (BPOM).

"This is to ensure the quality, safety, and effectiveness (of the vaccine) while awaiting the issuance of MUI's (Indonesian Ulemas Council’s) fatwa on halal status of the vaccine," Hartarto stated during a virtual press conference here on Monday.

The minister noted that stage-wise vaccination will be conducted, with priority accorded to medical workers and public service officials, under the Health Ministry’s coordination.

As many as 1.2 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine ordered from China's Sinovac Biotech Ltd arrived at the Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Tangerang, Banten, on Sunday (Dec 6).

More vaccines will be delivered in stages after the first arrival, Hartarto remarked.

"Arrival of the vaccine offers momentum for the government's concrete actions in vaccine procurement," he noted.

Vaccine procurement is based on Presidential Regulation No. 99 of 2020 and Health Ministerial Regulation No. 98 of 2020 on COVID-19 vaccine procurement.

The two regulations were followed by Health Minister’s Regulation No. 6587 of 2020 that appoint state-run vaccine manufacturer PT Bio Farma for procurement of the vaccine and Health Minister Regulation No. 9860 on the type of coronavirus vaccine to be administered in Indonesia.

Regarding the vaccination scheme, Hartarto, concurrently chairman of the Committee for COVID-19 Response and National Economic Recovery (KPC-PEN), noted that the government will have two schemes for the vaccination: government-paid vaccination and self-paid vaccination.

"Detailed regulation on the two schemes will be issued within the next one or two weeks," Hartarto stated.
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Translator: Dewa Ketut SW, Sri Haryati
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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