Vaccination for children has already been reviewed.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin has estimated that COVID-19 vaccinations for children aged 5 to 11 years could begin at the start of next year.

"Vaccinations for children have already been reviewed. Currently, there are three vaccines undergoing clinical trials (in the nations where they are being produced)," Sadikin informed at a press conference streamed on Indonesia Economy's YouTube channel here on Tuesday.



The three vaccines are Sinovac, Sinopharm, and Pfizer.



The health minister estimated that the emergency-use authorization (EUA) for vaccines for children in the 5-11 age group will come through by the end of 2021.


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The Health Ministry is collaborating with the National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM) to get the EUA issued as soon as possible, he informed.



This will be done as soon as the countries developing the three vaccines confirm they can be utilized for children, he said.



"As soon as (the vaccines) are out of their clinical trial, we can start using them at the beginning of next year," he added.


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Sadikin then announced that people who have comorbidities associated with immune deficiency, such as HIV and cancer, will be included within the priority recipient group for COVID-19 vaccine boosters in accordance with World Health Organization's suggestion.



In addition to people with immune deficiency, people in the high-risk category, health workers, and the elderly will also be included in the category, he said.



The COVID-19 vaccine booster is planned to be administered starting next year. The ministry is currently conducting research on the ideal booster vaccine combination, he informed.


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Translator: Andi Firdaus, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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