President Jokowi Ready to Receive First COVID-19 Vaccination

KOMPAS/NINA SUSILO

President Joko Widodo (standing, center) inspects a simulation of Covid-19 immunization at Harapan Keluarga Community Health Center in Tanah Sareal , Bogor, on Wednesday (18/11/2020).

BOGOR, KOMPAS — President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has expressed his willingness to be among the first people to receive a future COVID-19 vaccine in an effort to prevent public vaccine hesitancy once one is ready for use.

“If anyone asks whether the President was among the first or last [to receive the vaccine], as long as I’m asked, I’ll be ready to be among the first,” Jokowi said following his visit to the Tanah Sareal “Harapan Keluarga” community health center (Puskesmas) in Bogor, West Java, on Wednesday (18/11/2020).

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A COVID-19 vaccination simulation was held by the Health Ministry for around 100 people in the Tanah Sareal Puskesmas. Attending the simulation were Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto, Bogor Mayor Bima Arya Sugiarto and World Health Organization (WHO) Indonesia representatives.

The government has also sought to procure a potential COVID-19 vaccine developed by UK pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca with the aid of Oxford University.

Indonesia has been seeking to procure potential COVID-19 vaccines from three pharmaceutical and biotech companies, namely Sinovac Biotech, Sinopharm and CanSino Biologics. The government has also sought to procure a potential COVID-19 vaccine developed by UK pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca with the aid of Oxford University. However, no further information on the procurement has become available.

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Jokowi and Terawan would not say which vaccine the President would receive. “It [the vaccine] has yet to arrive. We will announce later when it arrives,” Terawan said.

Kompas

A health worker checks blood pressure and talks with a patient that will be administered with a vaccine during a simulation of Covid-19 immunization at Harapan Keluarga Community Health Center in Tanah Sareal , Bogor, on Wednesday (18/11/2020).

Despite stating his readiness, the President asserted that health workers, including doctors and nurses, would be prioritized for the vaccine. The next groups on the priority list were members of the Indonesian Military (TNI) and National Police as well as civil servants and teachers, Jokowi added.

President Jokowi added that potential vaccines, whether they were ready-to-use vaccine or raw materials, would arrive in November or December. However, once they arrive, the potential vaccines cannot be immediately used as the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) will have to authorize their emergency use. This process could take around three weeks.

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“We must follow scientific procedures and principles. We must put public health and safety first,” he said.

The government has also been preparing for the distribution of the vaccine. It is estimated that vaccination will begin in late 2020 or early 2021. To make sure that all people will receive the vaccine, the government will disseminate information on it. The vaccination will be conducted through both free and paid vaccination programs.

KOMPAS/NINA SUSILO

President Joko Widodo (right) gives directives to Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto (left) and Bogor Mayor Bima Arya Sugiarto (center) during a simulation of Covid-19 immunization at Harapan Keluarga Community Health Center in Tanah Sareal , Bogor, on Wednesday (18/11/2020).

Terawan said his party had been training the people who would carry out the vaccination.

“We have been continuously preparing and training so that when the vaccine is available, we can easily inject it. We have to continue practicing and coordinating with all stakeholders, including legislators, local governments, as well as consulting with the WHO,” the minister said.