VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

A would-be volunteer consults a doctor in charge of the clinical trials for the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine at the Educational Hospital, Padjadjaran University (Unpad), Bandung, West Java. (ANTARA/Bagus Ahmad Rizaldi)

A research team has conducted a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test on 21 volunteers seeking to participate in the clinical trials for the COVID-19 vaccine developed by China-based Sinovac Biotech at Padjadjaran University (Unpad).

The PCR test was conducted at the Unpad Educational Hospital on Monday, said Dr. Sunaryati Sudigdoadi, a representative from the hospital.

"We have conducted swab tests on 21 volunteers. They were all in good health while being checked," she said.

The results of the swab test will be announced on August 11, 2020. The volunteers will be inducted into the clinical trials for the vaccine if their COVID-19 tests come back negative.

Volunteers who test positive for COVID-19 would not be allowed to participate in the clinical trials, she added.

Even if they test negative for COVID-19, the volunteers will still have to take a rapid test to ensure they are healthy before they are administered the vaccine on Tuesday (August 11, 2020).

“Some of the 21 volunteers are young people and mothers. They are all in good health. The results of the test will be known tomorrow, and later, they will take a rapid test,” Dr. Sunaryati said.

"If all of them meet the qualifications, the 21 people will surely undergo vaccine injection as part of the clinical trials," she elaborated further.

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is scheduled to visit the venue for the clinical trials at the Unpad Educational Hospital in Bandung on Tuesday.

He will also visit PT Bio Farma where the vaccine will be produced. (ANTARA)