"We are waiting for a recommendation from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Indonesian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (ITAGI), and the Indonesian Pediatric Society (IDAI)," the ministry's spokesperson for COVID-19 vaccination, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, noted in a brief message here on Thursday.
IDAI Chairman Aman Bhakti Pulungan revealed that the association had yet to issue a recommendation on COVID-19 vaccination of children.
"No update had yet been received on vaccination for children. Surely, the IDAI has yet to issue any recommendation on (COVID-19) immunization for children," he remarked.
Pulungan pointed out that Sinovac's COVID-19 vaccine was only recommended for people in the age group of 15 of 59 years.
Pulungan highlighted the IDAI’s support to research on vaccine safety for children.
"We are expecting this (COVID-19 vaccination for children), but is it safe? Possibly it is safe, but there is no data on it and neither from the BPOM," he stated.
The medical director at Sinovac Gang Zeng had recently noted that early and intermediate clinical test on 550 subjects indicated that the vaccine had initiated immunity response in children.
Two vaccine recipients in the age group of three and six years experienced high fever after being inoculated.
"Other subjects exhibited mild symptoms. This has shown that the vaccine is safe and will create an immunity response against SARS CoV-2," Zeng stated. Related news: 96 children contract COVID-19 in North Maluku
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EDITED BY INE
Translator: Andi Firdaus, Sri Haryati
Editor: Suharto
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