The Indonesian Ministry of Health will receive as many as 23.1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine produced by AstraZeneca of the UK in the first quarter of 2021.

Siti Nadia Tarmidzi, spokesperson of the Indonesian Health Ministry for COVID-19 vaccination (Photo: Antara)

This is part of the COVAX Facility scheme, which is co-led by the Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunization (GAVI), Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Indonesia's Antara News Agency quoted Siti Nadia Tarmidzi, a spokesperson of the ministry for COVID-19 vaccination, saying that GAVI, in its letter dated 29 January, 2021, confirmed that the free vaccine allocation to Indonesia for the initial phase would be between 13.7 million and 23.1 million doses made by AstraZeneca.

Siti said the vaccines will be dispatched in two stages, comprising 25-35 percent in the first quarter of 2021 and 65-75 percent in the second quarter of the initial phase of allocation.

The AstraZeneca vaccine can be administered to people aged 60 years and above.

This is a success of Indonesia’s diplomacy, Siti stressed, adding that through COVAX, the country gets access to free vaccines and in quick time.

Indonesia has so far received commitments and options to get 663 million doses of vaccines from the UK’s AstraZeneca, Sinovac from China, Novavax from the US and Canada, and Pfizer from the US.

The Southeast Asian country began a COVID-19 mass vaccination programme on 13 January.

Source: VNA