Vaccinations Permissible during Ramadan Fasting

KOMPAS/ABDULLAH FIKRI ASHRI

A health worker injects a fellow medical worker with a vaccine during a simulation for Covid-19 vaccination at Puskesmas Talun, in Cirebon regency, West Java, on Wednesday (6/1/2021). The first round of vaccinations in Cirebon will target around 8,009 medical workers.

COVID-19 vaccinations will continuously be carried out day and night throughout the fasting month of Ramadan. Discipline is still needed to ensure that the number of COVID-19 cases, which are now starting to fall, do not increase again.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – COVID-19 vaccination during the month of Ramadan is planned to take place from day to night. In addition to providing alternatives for the public, this move is expected to accelerate the expansion of vaccination coverage in the country.

Health Ministry COVID-19 vaccinations spokesperson Siti Nadia Tarmizi explained, in Jakarta, Tuesday (23/3/2021), that the government had not yet prepared a special mechanism for vaccinations during Ramadan. This statement refers to a fatwa of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) stating that vaccination will not invalidate one’s fast.

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“A fatwa issued by the MUI has stated that vaccinations throughout the day will not invalidate one’s fast. However, vaccinations may also be carried out at night, as is currently happening. However, this may not be available every day when taking into consideration the working hours of the vaccinators,” she said.

The fatwa states that COVID-19 vaccinations do not invalidate the fast because it is administered by intramuscular injection.

In a press release, MUI head for fatwas Asrorun Niam Sholeh said the MUI Fatwa Commission had issued Fatwa No. 13/2021 concerning COVID-19 vaccinations while fasting. The fatwa states that COVID-19 vaccinations do not invalidate the fast because it is administered by intramuscular injection.

“The act of receiving the COVID-19 vaccination through intramuscular injection for Muslims who fast is permissible, as long as it does not cause harm [dharar],” he said.

Niam added that the MUI also recommended vaccinations be carried out at night to anticipate those who have weaker physical conditions while fasting.

Kompas

A man carries his vaccination certificate after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine shot at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Center in the capital Manama, on December 24, 2020. - In Bahrain, which has recorded more than 90,000 cases including 350 deaths, vaccinations continued today. It has approved both the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and another developed by Chinese firm Sinopharm.

Based on the COVID-19 handling task force’s daily report, as of March 23, 2021, as many as 5.7 million Indonesians have received the first dose of the vaccine. Meanwhile, the second dose is being administered to 2.4 million people. Indonesia is targeting to vaccinate 181.5 million people.

Beginning to decline

According to Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin, if COVID-19 cases in Indonesia do not rise again, the pandemic can be controlled. “[The number of cases] is starting to go down and this is good. [Our cases] are no longer rising as is being seen in Europe. However, we cannot let the numbers increase again. If it rises again, we are exhausted,” he said.

Also read: Indonesia Awaits Assessment Results from BPOM

In order for the number of COVID-19 cases to keep from increasing again, Budi expressed hope that the public would continue to reduce mobility by refraining from travel, especially later during the Idul Fitri 1442 H holiday in May. This is because every long holiday is usually followed by a spike of COVID-19 cases, which typically reaches 30-40 percent.

“If it is possible, reduce mobility. Stay at home, don’t travel too far,” he said.

Separately, national COVID-19 task force spokesperson Wiku Adisasmito said the government was beginning to provide the COVID-19 vaccine to prospective pilgrims, especially the elderly. At least 57,000 elderly people who are prospective haj pilgrims are awaiting vaccinations. Vaccinations are to be carried out while awaiting the official decision of the Saudi Arabian government concerning haj in 2021.

KOMPAS/LARASWATI ARIADNE ANWAR

Elderly people wait in line outside the Health Ministry training center on Jl. Hang Jebat in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, on Tuesday. They received a message broadcast on WhatsApp notifying recipients of free vaccinations for elderly people in the area. However, it turned out that the free vaccine was being offered only to elderly people with South Jakarta-registered ID cards and that the number was limited to 1,000 people per day.

“The government also urges the public not to upload their vaccination certificates to social media. This is because the certificate contains personal data in the form of a QR code, which can be scanned,” he added.

The use of mosques

Several mosque administrators have supported the Jakarta administration’s plan to use mosques as COVID-19 vaccination centers. Last week, Indonesian Mosque Council chairman Jusuf Kalla suggested that mosques be used as centers for mass COVID-19 vaccination. Jakarta Deputy Governor Ahmad Riza Patria also took the suggestion to use public spaces, such as mosques, as vaccination centers.

Also read: Vaccine Development Must Meet Standard

Wawan Dharmansyah, secretary of Al Isra Grand Mosque, welcomed the plan. According to him, the mosque on Jl. Tanjung Duren Raya, Grogol Petamburan, West Jakarta was an ideal location for vaccinations, as it sits across from Tomang Market and is situated in the middle of a residential area.

Also read: Limited Supply Main Challenge in RI’s Vaccination Drive

Eckie Susanto, secretary 2 of the Al-Huda Mosque in Kebon Jeruk, West Jakarta also did not object to the mosque being used as a vaccination center, as long as it did not disrupt worship activities.

Thus, many lessons can be learned by how civilization handled disease outbreaks in the past.

Ravando Lie, author of a book titled The War Against Influenza: The Spanish Flu Pandemic in Indonesia in the 1918-1919 Colonial Period, said the world had repeatedly faced outbreaks and pandemics. Thus, many lessons can be learned by how civilization handled disease outbreaks in the past.

KOMPAS/WAWAN H PRABOWO

A teacher undergoes a health check before getting a Covid-19 vaccine shot during a vaccinations for high school teachers at SMAN 70 Jakarta on Wednesday. The event was attended by 600 teachers and education staff. The vaccination program has come to the second batch, targeting elderly people and those employed in the public sector, such as market vendors, educators (teachers, lecturers), religious leaders, lawmakers, government officials and state institutions.

One of the keys to handling pandemics in the past was transparent and accurate information as well as the control of fake news. This was raised in an online discussion themed “Book Review One Pandemic Year” held on Tuesday, (23/3).

(This article was translated by Kesya Adhalia).