Corona Vaccine Heaven’s Wind at the end of the year

Jakarta, CNN Indonesia –

Government statement on vaccine COVID-19 which may be ready to inject by the end of 2020 is considered a gust of heavenly wind.

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) also cannot confirm 100 percent about the corona vaccine. Jokowi said: “God willing, the vaccine can be injected at the end of the year or early next year.”

Jokowi believes that if the corona vaccine has been injected, the situation can return to normal. He said the injections would be in the range of 170 million to 180 million.

“Approximately 170-180 million were injected, it took a few months. This requires hard work for all of us,” Jokowi was quoted as saying by the Presidential Secretariat on Youtube, on Wednesday (9/30).

University of Indonesia (UI) epidemiologist Pandu Riono believes that injection of the vaccine at the end of the year or early 2021 is clearly impossible. Because, Pandu said, the process of preparing the corona vaccine is still long. In fact, according to him, until now there has been no international agreement on which vaccine to use.

Pandu considered Jokowi’s statement only to give the public the impression that the government had gone to great lengths to bring a corona vaccine to Indonesia.

“That the government has tried to deliver the vaccine as quickly as possible in the shortest time possible, but that is unrealistic, there are still vaccine trials that have not been completed, there is no agreement,” Pandu told CNNIndonesia.com, Tuesday (30/9).

Pandu explained that the clinical trial process that is currently underway is an important part of the corona vaccine. Through this clinical trial, the efficacy and safety of the vaccine can be verified.

The effectiveness of this vaccine, Pandu said, is also a question, whether it is effective in preventing disease or preventing infection.

“So this research has not been completed and there are many problems that may not be evaluated alone, it is not possible to evaluate only the data from Indonesia, this vaccine trial is also carried out in other countries,” Pandu said.

Infographic Priority list list of government Covid vaccine recipients. (CNN Indonesia / Fajrian)

Meanwhile, Trisakti University public policy observer Trubus Rahadiansyah believes that Jokowi’s statement is part of his duties as head of state.

“So Pak Jokowi as head of state has the goal of calming his people, the situation is one of panic,” he said.

Trubus maintains that injecting the corona vaccine in late 2020 or early 2021 is impossible.

Trubus said there is a long way to go to ensure the vaccine is effective and safe.

This is because, Trubus continued, if there is uncertainty about effectiveness and safety, there is concern that the public will not trust the vaccine to be injected.

“I am concerned that there will be public resistance, public rejection, because you have to try it first to convince the public, you need a process, not as easy as turning around,” he said.

Trubus said there are several things the government must do regarding the corona vaccine.

First, communication between the government and society to generate and increase public trust. This is related to the corona vaccine that will then be produced and injected.

Then the government should also spread and provide comprehensive education to the public about this vaccine.

“Education is minimal, I’m afraid, in fact there are deviations,” Trubus said.

Furthermore, Trubus emphasized that Jokowi’s statement regarding the goal of injecting the corona vaccine was only to reduce public concerns amid the current pandemic situation.

“Of course, in the context of being the head of state, we love it, but in the context of its implementation, I think it is not as easy as turning around,” he said.

(dis / ugo)