VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

State-owned (BUMN) pharmaceutical holding company Bio Farma confirmed that healthcare workers will be accorded priority during its initial stage of COVID-19 vaccination.

"For the initial stage of vaccines that will arrive and have already arrived, healthcare workers will be prioritized," Bio Farma President Director Honesti Basyir stated during an online press conference here on Tuesday.

Basyir is optimistic that availability of the COVID-19 vaccine for healthcare workers would offer security and protection to those dealing directly with COVID-19 patients.

"Currently, the government is striving to provide protection to health workers and those at the forefront or front liners by providing the COVID-19 vaccine," he confirmed.

However, the vaccine will be given after securing an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the Drug and Food Supervisory Board (BPOM), Basyir emphasized.

Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy had earlier stated that the Halal Product Guarantee Agency (BPJPH) and Indonesian Ulema Council's Food and Drug Study Agency (LPPOM MUI) had completed a study on the halal-worthiness of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The MUI will soon issue a fatwa on halal-worthiness of the COVID-19 vaccine to be administered to people in Indonesia. For the time being, the MUI is yet in the process of drafting a fatwa on COVID-19 vaccination in Indonesia, he remarked.

Muhadjir Effendy, a member of Muhammadiyah, the country's second-largest Muslim organization, remarked that in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world was faced with a life-threatening emergency. Thus, if a drug or vaccine is non-halal, it can still be used in an emergency in case no halal drug or vaccine is available. As many as 1.2 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by a Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinovac arrived at the Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Tangerang, Banten, on Sunday evening, Dec 6, 2020.

Apart from the 1.2 million doses of vaccine arriving this month, the government is also working on 1.8 million doses of the vaccine to arrive in early January 2021. (Antaranews)