Indonesia to Produce Local COVID-19 Vaccine by 2022 Second Half

TheIndonesia.id - Head of the National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM), Penny Lukito, has said that the agency is aiming to start production of the Red and White vaccine in the second half of 2022.

“The Red and White vaccine (developed) from the collaboration between Airlangga University and PT. Biotis is currently in production for clinical trials. The clinical trials will commence soon. We are targeting the production to start in the second half of 2022,” she informed during a media briefing here on Wednesday, December 30, 2021.

Meanwhile, the production of the vaccine developed by Bio Farma and Baylor College Medicine is also targeted to start in the second half of 2022, she added. She said the agency will soon issue emergency-use authorization (EUA) for booster vaccines.

 "Currently, vaccines that are in the registration process to be used as boosters are Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Zlifivax, and CoronaVac or Biofarma’s COVID-19 vaccine, while the Sinopharm vaccine is still in the pre-registration process," she added.

Meanwhile, BPOM has so far permitted Favipiravir, Remdesivir, and Regdanvimab for emergency use. "After the issuance of the emergency-use authorization, we carry out post-market surveillance to ensure the drugs are being distributed properly, as well as (conduct) pharmacovigilance of adverse events following immunization or AEFIs," she explained.

The Indonesian government launched a nationwide vaccination program on January 13, 2021, in a bid to boost immunity against COVID-19.

According to data provided by the Health Ministry, as of December 29, 2021, nearly 159,269,210 citizens have received their first COVID-19 jab, while 112,595,665 have been fully vaccinated against the virus.

The government is planning to commence administering the third dose or booster vaccines in January 2022.