By: Adisti Tri Karina)*
The government guarantees that vaccines in Indonesia are safe and efficacious. The public is asked not to hesitate to participate in the vaccination program to accelerate the realization of collective immunity and break the chain of transmission of Covid-19.
Vaccination is one of the government’s efforts in tackling the Covid-19 pandemic. Spokesperson for the Covid-19 Task Force, Reisa Broto Asmoro, said that the government guarantees that the vaccines given to the community are safe, quality and efficacious. So, people don’t need to hesitate with the vaccines that are currently available.
In his press statement, Dr. Reisa said that the Government guarantees that the vaccines given to the public are safe, quality and efficacious vaccines. So we don’t need to hesitate anymore with existing vaccines. Because the best vaccine is the one available.
Reisa said that currently Indonesia has received more than 90 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine in finished form and raw materials from Sinovac, Sinopharm and Astrazeneca.
The three vaccines have received permission for use from the World Health Organization (WHO).
Reisa explained that recent studies have shown that Sinovac and Astrazeneca are effective in reducing the number of Covid-19 emergencies, reducing the risk of being admitted to the ICU and reducing fatalities.
He also reminded that the Covid-19 vaccine protects individuals from possible complications if they are exposed to Covid-19.
However, the vaccine does not make individuals free from the corona virus that causes Covid-19. Especially if the virus is transferred to other individuals who have not received the Covid-19 vaccine.
Secretary General of the Central Java Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Islamic Boarding School, Ustaz Abu Choir explained that as a partner of the government. NU Central Java has disseminated vaccinations to 4600 Islamic boarding schools, while collecting data on pesantren leaders to be involved in vaccination, including to students.
Ust Choir also reminded the public to believe in true information, not to believe in hoax information. Moreover, vaccines have been scientifically proven to be safe and halal, so don’t refuse vaccines so that the Covid-19 pandemic can end soon.
In addition, the Chairperson of the Indonesian Hindu Religious Guardian Council of Central Java Province, Anak Agung Ketut Darmaja, said that his party also strongly supports the government’s noble program regarding the Covid-19 vaccination. His party has also socialized this vaccination program to all districts of the city. Central Java Province, no Hindus refuse.
In addition to having obtained an emergency use authorization (EUA) issued by the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM), the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) stated that the Covid-19 vaccine was halal for use. This halal status also applies to Sinovac vaccines.
The process to determine the halal status of the vaccine also takes a long time. Where since October 2020, the MUI team consisting of the Central MUI Fatwa Commission and LPPOM MU along with other teams visited factories in China and carried out investigations.
After examining it more deeply, MUI ensures that the raw materials and methods for making the Covid-19 vaccine from the manufacturer use safe and halal ingredients. So that people do not need to doubt the safety of the Covid-19 vaccine.
The chairman of the Indonesia Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (ITAGI) Sri Rezeki Hadinegoro asserted that there were no reports of people being hospitalized and died as a result of receiving the Covid-19 vaccine injection.
Sri said the side effects of the Covid-19 vaccine were mild, such as pain, fever, swelling, headache and could be cured with or without medication.
In a virtual discussion, Sri said that the side effects of Sinovac and AstraZeneca are quite mild. No one was hospitalized, or died from the vaccine. This is something to note.
Meanwhile, the Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) who is also the Chief Executive of the Covid-19 Handling and National Economic Recovery Committee, Erick Thohir, gave his response regarding the latest update on the Covid-19 vaccine made by a Chinese company, namely Sinovac.
Through his Instagram account, Erick is grateful that the MUI fatwa commission has released the vaccine halal fatwa.
Not only that, the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) has also approved the use in emergency conditions for the Covid-19 vaccine made by Sinovac.
The safety, halalness and efficacy of the Covid-19 vaccine, of course, must make people dispel doubts about the vaccination program. So hopefully the pandemic will end soon.
)* The author is a contributor to the Press Circle and Cikini Students
