By: Made Raditya) *
The government is bringing more vaccines to Indonesia. This time we got the Astrazeneca vaccine. This vaccine is guaranteed safe because it has received an emergency permit by the BPOM. Why is the permit emergency? Because if the procedure is as usual, it will be a long wait. In fact, it is hoped that the national vaccination program can be completed quickly, so that the pandemic can quickly end.
Vaccines are the biggest hope of ending the pandemic. Because after all Indonesian citizens get the vaccine, there will be a herd immunity and we can all be corona free. The pandemic will end and life will roll as it used to be. The economy can rise again, because people’s purchasing power also increases.
The government has received 1,113,600 doses of the Astrazeneca vaccine to be injected during the national vaccination. This British-made vaccine has received emergency permission from the BPOM. According to Penny Lukito, head of BPOM, the safety, quality, and efficacy of the vaccines have been checked by BPOM and the process has been approved for special access.
Why is the permit emergency? Because if in normal circumstances, the BPOM permit will only be issued after 30 working days. In fact, if you wait that long, the schedule for the national vaccination program will be delayed. Therefore, emergency permits are allowed, because during this pandemic we are racing against time. All Indonesian citizens must be vaccinated in order to be free from corona as soon as possible.
Even though the BPOM permit is an emergency, AstraZeneca’s vaccine has gone through a sampling test process, to ensure its quality aspects. So the permit is not given arbitrarily, but in accordance with the procedure. It’s just that the route that is taken is a shortcut, so that permits can quickly come out and can be injected into the community.
The AstraZeneca vaccine is known to be effective because it has an efficacy of more than 70%. Efficacy is the level of efficacy of a vaccine. But even though the efficacy is only around 70%, it is quite effective in fighting the corona attack. The proof, this vaccine is ordered by many other countries, so that it is trusted by many people around the world.
The side effects of the AstraZeneca vaccine are also minimal. Almost the same as the effect of an injection of other vaccines, namely pain and bruising at the injection site, itching, fever, dizziness, nausea, and muscle aches. Therefore, if someone is vaccinated, they are expected to get permission from their office to go home, because they need rest to deal with these side effects.
Unlike the Sinovac vaccine, the AstraZeneca vaccine is not made from an attenuated covid-19 virus. Rather, it is developed with an adenovirus vector platform. Namely modifying the virus that genetically infects chimpanzees. Although this vaccine is genetically engineered, it is not dangerous, because the BPOM has guaranteed its safety.
Owen Jenkins, British Ambassador to Indonesia hopes that the AstraZeneca vaccine will help Indonesia achieve herd immunity, and contribute to the success of the national vaccination program. The support from the Ambassador is very important, because it shows his concern for the Indonesian people. Also shows the close friendship between Britain and Indonesia.
Even though later we will get rations to be vaccinated, but don’t be negligent in the least. Maintain health protocols, such as wearing a mask, washing your hands diligently, and keeping your distance. Also pay attention to the cleanliness of the mask, because it can only be used for a maximum of 4 hours. So make sure you have at least a dozen cloth masks, or a large box of disposable masks.
Also take care of hygiene and immunity. Because the pandemic only ended when herd immunity was formed, and that would take another 12 months. Discipline in implementing the protocol is mandatory, because we do not want to get corona and then die languishingly.
The AstraZeneca vaccine has received an emergency permit from the BPOM and its arrival will make the national vaccination program a success. The efficacy of this vaccine reaches 70% and is quite effective in fighting corona. Continue to adhere to health protocols, so as not to be infected by the covid-19 virus.
) * The author is a contributor to the Cikini Press Circle and Students
