The National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM) said it is waiting for the results of research by the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) on administering the Pfizer vaccine to children.

“In the near future, we hope that the Pfizer vaccine will be released from the USFDA. We are still waiting for its registration. BPOM cannot immediately give permission,” Head of BPOM Penny K Lukito said here on Tuesday.

The USFDA has the capacity to issue strict standards regarding COVID-19 vaccines, which can be the basis for the BPOM to grant permission to use the Pfizer vaccine in Indonesia, she added.

Currently, the only vaccine brand approved for children aged 6 to 11 in Indonesia is Sinovac, she said.

Vaccinations for children are essential because aside from the risk of children being virus carriers, schools are starting to implement limited face-to-face learning, she added.

COVID-19 vaccinations could encourage parents to permit their children to attend face-to-face learning, she said.

To boost immunity against COVID-19, the Indonesian government rolled out a vaccination program across the nation on January 13, 2021. President Joko Widodo was the first person to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in the country.

Overall, the Indonesian government is targeting to inoculate 208,265,720 citizens under the program.

According to the Health Ministry’s data, as of November 2, 2021, nearly 121,365,081 citizens have received their first COVID-19 vaccine dose, while 75,217,214 have been fully vaccinated against the virus.

BPOM recently issued a permit approving the Sinovac vaccine for children aged 6 to 11 years based on a safety and immunity assessment.

Source: Antara News