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JAKARTA: The president of the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, Joko Widodo, called on Monday (October 19) that Indonesia not rush the launch of vaccines, citing concerns over public awareness about whether they are halal.
With more than 365,000 coronavirus cases and 12,000 deaths, Indonesia has struggled to control its outbreak and the government has been racing to secure a vaccine supply while it was still developing, drawing criticism from some epidemiologists for seeking a “miracle” solution. before. The full efficacy and safety of the vaccine is known.
The senior ministers have indicated that the authorization of emergency vaccines could be granted from November.
But the president, better known by his nickname “Jokowi,” pointed to a more cautious approach, warning against rushing and urging clear public messages on whether the vaccines were halal or allowed under Islam.
READ: Indonesia FM calls for ‘equal access’ to COVID-19 vaccines
“I ask that this vaccine not be rushed because it is so complex,” Jokowi said before a closed-door meeting.
“I want to make sure there is a good preparation. On public communication, especially regarding halal and haram, the price and the quality.”
Indonesia has previously pledged to vaccinate more than 100 million people next year, but Jokowi said Monday that the scale of inoculation in an archipelagic nation of 270 million would be a unique challenge.
Controversy over whether vaccines adhere to Muslim principles has hampered public health responses before in Indonesia, including in 2018, when Indonesia’s Ulema Council issued a fatwa declaring that the measles vaccine was haram or prohibited by the Islam.
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Indonesia has obtained 50 million doses of Sinovac from China by March next year and 100 million from AstraZeneca by next April, in addition to other agreements.
Vaccines from Sinovac, as well as China’s Sinopharm and CanSino Biologics for 9.1 million people will be available this year, with health workers prioritized, said Achmad Yurianto, a senior official at the Ministry of Health.
Indonesia’s rush to secure supplies of unproven vaccines has raised concerns among epidemiologists, some of whom argue that it should focus on testing and contact tracing until a safe and effective vaccine is available.
“Many countries think that a vaccine will be the silver bullet to deal with the pandemic,” said Dicky Budiman, an Indonesian epidemiologist at Australia’s Griffith University.
“But sadly, the history of pandemics, the literature, does not support that.”
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