"The Indonesian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (ITAGI) has been conducting the research. It is expected to be completed on January 10, 2022," Sadikin remarked while delivering a press statement on public activities restrictions, or PPKM, here on Monday.
According to the minister, the government requires some 230 million COVID-19 vaccine doses for booster vaccination targeting around 21 million Indonesians. Meanwhile, some 113 million doses stored in a state-owned storage facility are available and ready for use.
The type of vaccine to be given as boosters to the general public can be the same or of a different brand from the previous dose inoculated, he pointed out.
"What is interesting is that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had issued a policy for Moderna's booster to be half dose because of its side effects post-immunization," he explained.
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Sadikin highlighted that if the research results of ITAGI and the National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM) indicate that neither the full or half dose of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines give a distinct effect, then the booster dose will be given half.
Sadikin noted that the scheme can be applied to the State-owned Healthcare and Social Security Agency BPJS Kesehatan's fund assistance beneficiaries, who will receive the vaccine for free through government subsidies.
"If there is no difference in effectiveness between the half dose and full dose, then we can give half dose. If so, most of the vaccine requirements can be met from the free ones," he added.
However, the entire scheme is still under discussion involving health experts. "The report of results will come out from the ITAGI team on January 10, 2022," he pointed out.
Earlier, President Joko Widodo had determined that the booster vaccination program in Indonesia will start on January 12, 2022.
Related news: COVID-19 booster vaccine available to public from January 4: Minister
Translator: Andi F, Kenzu T
Editor: Suharto
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