She said the ministry hopes that parents will not hesitate to allow their children to get vaccinated because children are in the vulnerable group and have a high risk of COVID-19 transmission.
“We welcome the approval for children aged 6-11 years to receive (COVID-19) vaccination. Of course, the approval from the BPOM was based on a clinical trial that proved the safety (of the vaccine), so we do not need to hesitate to get children aged 6-11 years to get vaccinated," the minister said in a press release issued here on Friday.
The minister also reiterated the need for complying with the health protocols since low compliance with protocols could potentially cause a surge in COVID-19 cases.
“Our focus is protecting children and ensuring that their rights are fulfilled, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. The best interests of children are a priority in the midst of this pandemic," she remarked.
Related news: Need 30 million more Sinovac vaccine doses for children: ministry
Earlier, COVID-19 transmission among children has shown to be high, with the proportion of confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 in children aged 0-18 years reaching 12.5 percent, she noted.
This means that one in eight COVID-19 patients was a child, with 50 percent of COVID-19 deaths among children reported in toddlers, she said.
The National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM) recently issued a permit approving the Sinovac vaccine for children aged 6 to 11 years based on a safety and immunity assessment.
Meanwhile, vaccinations for children aged 12-17 years have been started to support face-to-face learning in schools.
Related news: Awaiting FDA data on Pfizer vaccine safety for children: BPOM
Translator: Anita Permata, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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