"Parents must complete their children's basic immunization while waiting for the COVID-19 vaccination," she said at a webinar on preventing the third coronavirus wave ahead of the Christmas and New Year holidays, accessed from here on Tuesday.
Tarmizi, who is also the director of direct infectious diseases prevention and control at the Ministry of Health, revealed that many children have not completed routine immunizations, such as for measles, polio, and hepatitis, which need to be administered every year.
"Routine immunization is an immunization that has been proven to provide protection to children. It is very important to have while waiting for COVID-19 vaccination for children," she remarked.
Related news: Children aged 6-11 to be vaccinated in schools: ministry
The National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM) has given permission for the emergency use of the Sinovac vaccine for children aged 6 to 11. Earlier, the BPOM had also given permission for use of the Sinovac vaccine for children aged 12 to 18.
The approval from BPOM will help increase vaccination coverage to around 26-27 million children, Tarmizi said. About 58 million to 59 million additional vaccines will be required for their immunization, which have not been allocated for 2021, she noted.
However, the government has ordered additional doses and the purchase has been approved by the vaccine manufacturer, she informed. The additional vaccines are expected to be delivered in early 2022, she said.
COVID-19 vaccinations for children aged 6 to 11 are expected to start in January or February 2022, Tarmizi said.
"It will be difficult to have an additional vaccine this year. The earliest we can vaccinate children aged 6 to 11 is January or February next year," she added.
Related news: Education Ministry pushes for vaccination of school pupils aged 6-11
Translator: Aditya Ramadhan, Resinta S
Editor: Suharto
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