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JAKARTA: AstraZeneca Indonesia responded to the fatwa or edict issued by Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI). MUI said that there is a haram substance in its vaccine, as it uses trypsin from pigs in the production process.

“We respect the statement made by Indonesian Ulema Council. It is important to note that AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine is a viral vector vaccine that does not contain products of animal origin. The viral vector vaccine production process stage does not use and come into contact with pork or other animal products,” AstraZeneca Indonesia said in its statement received by Tempo, Saturday.

AstraZeneca also said that the claim was confirmed by British Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

“This vaccine has been approved in more than 70 countries including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Egypt, Aljazair and Maroko, and many Islamic councils around the world issue the permission for Muslims to use the vaccine,” the statement said.

The British Covid-19 vaccine is also claimed to be safe and effective in preventing Covid-19. Clinical studies found that the vaccine was 100 percent protective against severe illness, hospitalisation, and death, more than 22 days after the first dose was injected.

“The vaccination study has been conducted based on a real-world research model that found that one dose of vaccine reduces the risk of hospitalisation by 94 percent in all age groups, including those agd 80 years and over,” said AstraZeneca in the statement.