JAKARTA: Research and Technology Minister Bambang P. S. Brodjonegoro affirmed that the Red and White vaccine, Indonesia’s indigenous vaccine against Covid-19, can be exported if domestic requirements are met.
“If domestic requirements and also Indonesia’s need to help other countries are met, of course, we will be ready to offer it to other countries after this vaccine goes through clinical trials, obtains permits, and is mass produced,” the minister stated during a working meeting of the Ministry of Research and Technology here.
The Red and White Vaccine is a Covid-19 vaccine that uses the SARS-CoV-2 virus isolate that causes Covid-19. Indonesian experts and researchers are developing the vaccine seeds.
Brodjonegoro affirmed that the Red and White vaccine is prioritised to meet the relatively large local demand since Indonesia has a population of some 270 million.
To achieve herd immunity, two-thirds of Indonesia’s population must be vaccinated, for which around 170 million people should be inoculated.
If two doses have to be administered to every individual, then approximately 360 million ampoules of vaccines will be required.
In addition, the Red and White vaccine is deemed necessary to anticipate the possibility of the next vaccination.
The minister estimated that the Red and White Covid-19 vaccine will be ready for distribution in the fourth quarter of 2021.
“The Red and White vaccine is projected to be distributed to the public in the fourth quarter of 2021,” he stated.
After the authorities hand over the vaccine seeds to state-run vaccine producer PT Bio Farma in the first quarter of 2021, the vaccine will have to clear several phases before being administered for immunisation, the minister explained.
The vaccine scaling-up would be followed by three phases of clinical tests and an evaluation by the Drug and Food Control Agency (BPOM), he remarked.
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