The Ministry of Health stated that it still awaits further directions from the Food and Drug Control Agency (BPOM) before providing and distributing free COVID-19 vaccine to children aged six months to 11 years.

“As long as BPOM has not given an opinion that it (the vaccine) needs to be provided, the Health Ministry does not dare to provide it,” Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin stated at a press conference on the Health Ministry’s performance in 2022 and work programs in 2023 followed online on Thursday.

In response to the Commission IX of the House of Representatives (DPR) that pushed for the free administration of the Pfizer vaccine, he stated that the Ministry of Health will provide the vaccine free of charge to children, as the budget for 2023 is still sufficient.

“However, the COVID-19 vaccine cannot be given now yet because there is no further direction from BPOM,” he remarked.

Moreover, the ministry needs to consider various aspects and receive a recommendation from the Indonesian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (ITAGI).

According to Sadikin, once the recommendation is given, the Ministry of Health will immediately start administering the Pfizer vaccine to children aged six months to 11 years.

“What is available now is Pfizer, and we will start with Pfizer first. If later there are other vaccine brands that can be used for children, we will also provide them,” he stated.

Earlier, the BPOM issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the Comirnaty vaccine for children aged 5-11 years on November 29, 2022, and for children aged six months to four years on December 11, 2022.

“This Comirnaty Children’s vaccine has a different formulation and strength compared to the Comirnaty Vaccine for teenagers and adults. Thus, the Comirnaty Children’s vaccine cannot be used for individuals aged 12 years and over,” Head of BPOM Penny K. Lukito stated.

The vaccine was developed by using the mRNA platform by Pfizer-BioNTech.

Source: Antara News