The government is preparing to implement a vaccination program for children aged 6-11 which is due to start in early 2022.
Spokesperson for COVID-19 Vaccination Program Dr. Siti Nadia Tarmizi said that her team was already preparing technical instructions for implementation.
Meanwhile, the Head of Health Handling of the COVID-19 Task Force, Alexander Ginting, said the rules for the vaccination program for children aged 6-11 are listed in the instruction of the Home Affairs Minister number 66 of 2021. He said that the program is still waiting for recommendations from the Indonesian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ITAGI) and the Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI).
Below are five things you need to know about this vaccination program:
1. Conditions for implementing the vaccination program
According to the regulations stated in the Home Affairs Minister number 66 of 2021, vaccination of children aged 6-11 years can take place if the local government has achieved the vaccination target of at least 70 percent for the first dose of the general population and 60 percent for the first dose of vaccination for the elderly in accordance with applicable regulations. The regulation will take effect on 24th December 2021 until 2nd January 2022.
2. Type of Vaccine Used
The government will use the Sinovac vaccine for the vaccination program for children aged 6-11 years. However, the dosage is still waiting to be confirmed.
According to Dr. Nadia, the dose may possibly be half that given to adults.
3. Has the vaccine been approved by the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency?
The Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) gave permission for the use of the Sinovac vaccine for vaccination of children aged 6-11 years in early November 2021.
“We can announce the issuance of a permit to use the COVID-19 vaccine from the Sinovac Coronavac vaccine and COVID-19 vaccine from Bio Farma for children aged 6 to 11 years,” said Head of the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency, Penny K Lukito, at a press conference on 1st November.
She added that her team was very careful to give permission for the use of vaccines for early childhood.
4. Vaccine safety
It is important to know how safe the Sinovac vaccine is for children aged 6-11 years.
According to Penny, the Sinovac vaccine is safe for children aged 6-11 years based on the results of phase 2 clinical trials. In these clinical trials, the immunogenicity of the vaccine reached 96.5 percent. This means that the level of safety of its immunogenicity is high.
In addition, the General Chairperson of the Indonesian Pediatrician Association Central Executive, Dr. Piprim Basarah Yanuarso, asked parents not to hesitate to bring their children to get the COVID-19 vaccination. Piprim said this was important because children could not only be infected with COVID-19 but also could transmit the virus.
“Many children are asymptomatic so that they are not caught having COVID-19 and then transmit the virus everywhere,” said Piprim.
5. Where can the vaccination be done?
COVID-19 vaccination services for children aged 6-11 years will be carried out at health service facilities, schools, and vaccination centres.