BPOM Beri Izin Sinovac untuk Anak 6-11 Tahun
Indonesia Authorises Sinovac COVID-19 Vaccine for Children Aged 6-11
Editor : Ismail Gani
Translator : Novita Cahyadi
Badan Pengawas Obat dan Makanan [BPOM] RI resmi mengizinkan penggunaan vaksin Covid-19 berjenis Sinovac asal China pada anak usia enam hingga 11, untuk penggunaan darurat atau emergency use authorization [EUA].
Hal ini disampaikan Penny K. Lukito selaku Kepala BPOM RI dalam konferensi pers di kanal Youtube BPOM RI, Senin [1/11].
"Pemberian izin tersebut adalah berita yang menyenangkan, kami yakin bahwa vaksinasi anak-anak adalah hal yang mendesak, apalagi sekarang pembelajaran tatap muka telah dimulai," katanya.
Pemberian izin tersebut datang karena Indonesia sudah dua bulan menerapkan uji coba pembelajaran tatap muka.
Menteri Kesehatan RI [Kemenkes, Budi Gunadi Sadikin mengatakan bahwa kasus Covid-19 yang ditemukan di sekolah selama periode ini "relatif rendah," seperti dikutip Reuters yang dilansir MailOnline.
Sementara, Juru Bicara Vaksinasi Covid-19 dari Kemenkes Siti Nadia Tarmizi mengatakan bahwa vaksinasi untuk anak-anak dapat dimulai awal tahun depan, karena menunggu rekomendasi lebih lanjut dari asosiasi anak Indonesia dan lebih banyak suntikan vaksin.
Sebagai informasi, Indonesia telah memvaksinasi sekitar 27% dari 270 juta penduduk.
Indonesia has approved the Sinovac Biotech COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 6-11, its food and drug agency said on Monday, following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's approval vaccine for younger kids.
Until Monday, Indonesia had cleared the Chinese-made Sinovac vaccine only for people aged 12 and above, of which it has the most amount in its arsenal with over 200 million doses.
Penny K. Lukito, chief of the agency (BPOM), told a news conference that the approval was "pleasant news. We're sure that children's vaccination is an urgent thing, especially now that...in-person learning has started."
The approval comes as Indonesia is two months into its trial of in-person learning https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/indonesia-schools-start-cautious-reopening-after-devastating-virus-wave-2021-08-30. Health minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said that COVID-19 cases found in schools during this period "are relatively low."
Siti Nadia Tarmizi, a health ministry official, said that vaccinations for children may start early next year, as it awaits further recommendation from Indonesia's paediatric association and more vaccine shots.
Chile have also approved the Sinovac vaccine for younger children.
Indonesia was Asia's COVID-19 epicentre in July, with the Delta variant driving up infections and deaths though both counts have plummeted.
Infections among children aged 0-18 make up for 13% of total cases, government data shows.
Indonesia has vaccinated about 27% of its population of 270 million.
