Tuesday, March 19, 2024 | 09:02 WIB

Vaccination booster during pandemic for long-term health

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Jakarta, IO – Booster vaccination doses are effective for reinvigorating the body’s immunity response against the Covid-19 virus. The people are urged to stop doubting the safety booster and to get it, because the vaccines we use are proven to be safe. However, according to the Ministry of Health, less than a quarter of our people have had their booster shots, only 24.08%, or 50.1 million people, by 27 June 2022 – much lower than the number of people who have had their primary injections (two doses) at 81.08%, or 168.8 million people. 

Prof. Dr. dr. Hinky Hindra Irawan Satari, Sp.A(K), M.Trop. Paed, Chairman of the National Commission of Post-Immunization Adverse Event (“PIAE”), declared that according to surveillance data, the Covid-19 vaccine administered to the people, whether primary or booster, has a much higher level of benefit than any possible risk. Furthermore, the safety of the vaccine to ensure people’s health is ensured. 

”Indonesia has administered more than 400 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine to the people. We continue to monitor and control the vaccination process in our country. The collected data is also reviewed by competent experts. This data shows that no vaccination is related to very few serious cases of PIAE in Indonesia, and most PIAEs are non-serious in nature – slight fevers, headaches, and local ache in the injection spot – all of which are within natural bounds,” Prof. Hinky said during the “The Importance of Booster Vaccination During the Pandemic” webinar held last Saturday (25/6/2022). 

According to PIAE surveillance data of 74.8 million doses of AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine in Indonesia, there were only 64 serious and 4,114 non-serious PIAE cases reported. “Viral vector vaccine is safe, whether as primary or booster vaccine. It provides equal protection with the mRNA vaccine, even in vulnerable groups. More than 65 million viral vector Covid-19 vaccine doses has been administered in Indonesia. I repeat, the benefits far exceed any possible risks. The PIAE surveillance notes that vaccine safety measures are performed simultaneously and sustainably, in order to improve the people’s health levels,” Prof. Hinky said. 

Booster shots for the elderly (60 years old) in Indonesia may be administered in an interval of at least three months after receiving their primary doses. Homologous or heterologous booster is administered using available vaccine regimens already obtaining Emergency Use Authorization (“EUA”) from the Food and Drug Control Agency (Badan Pengawas Obat dan Makanan – “BPOM”) and recommendation from the Indonesia Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (“ITAGI”). “Vaccination performed within a specific time frame may generate antibody titer, which jogs the body’s memory response and allows it to recognize the antigen in the Covid-19 virus,” Prof. Hinky said. 

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