Gov't Should Review Rules for Booster Shot: Expert

TheIndonesia.id - A medical expert has called for the Indonesian government to review the rules established for booster shot as the country continues preparation for the rollout next week.

Dr. Tonang Dwi Ardyanto from Sebelas Maret University said the government must take into account the health condition of each individual before COVID-19 booster is given.

“Scientifically, test is needed to determine when someone needs booster: whether a person’s antibody drops and how much the decline is. However, at the moment, we’re still not able to track how much antibody is in each person, so [the policy] emphasizes on time aspect,” Ardyanto said in Solo on Friday, January 7, as reported by Antara.

The current regulation states that booster shot is to be given six months after the second dose of vaccine. And in regards to this, he asked authority to revise it to 12 months after someone receives their second jab because it’s deemed more “rational” from the health point of view.

As for COVID-19 survivors, the injection of booster must also consider the antibody level of each person.

“Survivors had different viral loads and symptoms, and they also developed antibody differently. Those who were asymptomatic, in particular, tend to have lower level of antibody,” the pathologist explained.

He also viewed booster as an optional choice instead of mandatory.

“If you ask me whether booster must be given to survivors, I’d say no. But if you ask me whether it’s necessary, it has to be determined case by case,” the medical expert said. “I prefer to call it optional because some people will have to pay for it, while the rest is provided by the government.”

Accelerating the first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccine is seen as the more pressing issue as millions of Indonesians in various regions are still not vaccinated.   

Earlier this week Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin announced that national booster rollout will start on Wednesday, January 12. It targets 21 million of Indonesians and is to be given to adults aged 18 years and older, as per the recommendation from the World Health Organization (WHO).

The authority also announced that the general public will have to pay to get the booster shot while the free doses will be subsidized by Indonesian government to be given to Penerima Bantuan Iuran (PBI), or recipients of contribution assistance, especially the elderlies who are more vulnerable to hospitalization when infected.