"It is a myth if someone says that the vaccine is not safe. It is not true. The vaccine for children is safe, just like the ones that are inoculated to adolescents aged 12–17 years, same like the ones administered to adults and the elderly," she said in a press statement, which was accessed online here on Tuesday.
The Sinovac vaccine is safe for children because it has been permitted by the National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM), which also guarantees its benefits, she added.
The vaccine has also been administered to millions of people across Indonesia and has provided more benefits than caused severe adverse events following immunization (AEFI), she noted.
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In addition, the vaccine has gone through a series of trials on animals and humans of all ages to ensure its safety, she said.
She then urged parents to get children vaccinated against COVID-19 to protect them from various variants of the virus.
"It (the vaccine) is safe because it has undergone various levels of research, and millions of doses (of the vaccine) have been used," Kartasasmita stressed.
As part of efforts to build community immunity against COVID-19, the Indonesian government launched a nationwide vaccination program on January 13, 2021.
Recently, the country began vaccinating children in the 6–11 age group after Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin issued Ministerial Decree Number HK.01.07/MENKES/6688/2021 on the implementation of COVID-19 Vaccination for Children aged 6–11 years.
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Translator: Hreeloita Dharma, Raka Adji
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
