No Vaccination-Related Death Reported in Indonesia: Gov't

TheIndonesia.co - National Commission on Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) said no death related to COVID-19 vaccination has been reported in Indonesia.

However, despite the fact, chairman Hindra Irawan Satari said the commission has received hundreds of reports of AEFI cases from across the country in 2021.

“As of November 30, 2021, there were 363 of serious AEFI cases reported from all provinces in Indonesia, but there hasn’t been death case,” Satari said in a statement on Saturday, January 1, as reported by Antara.

The statement came after, previously, two children reportedly passed away after receiving vaccine in Jombang regency in East Java and Bone regency in South Sulawesi.

The medical expert said his office, along with local health office, conducted audit and investigation on December 30, 2021, and the result showed the deaths weren’t related to COVID-19 vaccination.

“For the case in Jombang, it was concluded to be unclassifiable, or not having enough data. Meanwhile, death in Bone was concluded to be related to pre-existing heart condition,” Satari said.

Spokesperson for COVID-19 vaccination Siti Nadia Tarmizi said preventing AEFI is one of the Indonesian government’s focuses, and the Ministry of Health continues to coordinate with the AEFI commission at national and regional level to monitor and educate the public.

“Vaccine recipients who experience post-vaccination side effects can visit health facility where the vaccination takes place and report the condition,” Tarmizi explained.

She added that there’s no necessary requirement for public to report any following symptoms after receiving vaccine.