After the elderly, now it’s time for the 18 year old and above citizens to take part in Jakarta’s vaccination program. In this mass vaccination program, the Jakarta Provincial Government uses the AstraZeneca vaccine as of 5 May 2021, according to this press release. Before taking part in vaccination, it’s better to get to know more about the AstraZeneca vaccine through the explanation below.
[Types of Covid-19 Vaccines: What Are The Differences?]
Facts About AstraZeneca
The AstraZeneca vaccine or also known as the Oxford vaccine is developed by the UK biopharmacy company in collaboration with some researchers from Oxford University. While the Sinovac vaccine uses an inactivated Coronavirus to trigger antibodies, the AstraZeneca vaccine has a more advanced method that uses a modified virus to trigger antibodies. The AstraZeneca vaccine is administered by injecting the vaccine into muscle in two doses within a period of 8 to 12 weeks, as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
To meet the world's vaccine needs, AstraZeneca vaccine is also produced outside Europe. In Asia, the production of this vaccine is carried out in India and South Korea then imported to Indonesia. Currently, the AstraZeneca vaccine has received an Emergency Use Authorized (EUA) from the Indonesia Food and Drug Administration (BPOM) since 22 February 2021. In addition, the Indonesian Council of Cleric (MUI) has also issued Fatwa Number 14 of 2021 which allows the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine for urgent purposes. Based on a statement from the Indonesia Ministry of Health (Kemenkes RI), mass vaccination using the AstraZeneca vaccine is still intended for the 18 year old citizens and above.
Countries That Use AstraZeneca
The AstraZeneca vaccine is widely used in European continent, one of them is the UK, the origin of the vaccine itself. The AstraZeneca vaccine is also used in countries from the Australian, African, and Asian continent such as Vietnam, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, South Korea, and Indonesia. These countries use the AstraZeneca vaccine because of its proven benefits in reducing symptoms for people with Covid-19.
In Indonesia, the distribution of the AstraZeneca vaccine was temporarily suspended in the CTMAV547 batch for toxicity and sterility testing by BPOM. However, based on the data from the National Commission for Post-Immunization Adverse Events (Komnas KIPI), there has never been an incident of death due to Covid-19 vaccination in Indonesia. For this reason, the Indonesian Ministry of Health (Kemenkes RI) has issued a statement regarding the safety of the AstraZeneca vaccine and will continue the vaccination process using this type of vaccine.
Efficacy and The After Effects
Based on the collected information from WHO, the best efficacy of the AstraZeneca vaccine reached 63.09% at the second dose after a 12 weeks interval from the first dose. This type of vaccine has been proven to reduce the symptoms of Covid-19 that often occur in people infected by Covid-19. However, there are several conditions that cause contraindication of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Such as allergies to vaccines or vaccine components, as well as a history of severe anaphylactic allergies to the first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine.
The common Post-vaccination Adverse Events (above 10%) are usually mild, such as dizziness, nausea, muscle aches, joint pain, pain at the injection site, fatigue, malaise, and fever. However, if you experience persistent symptoms, you must immediately contact a health worker or come to a health care facility.
[Things You Need to Know After Getting a Covid-19 Vaccine]
After getting to know more about the AstraZeneca vaccine, are you ready to become a force against the Covid-19 pandemic? If you are currently 18 years old or above, register yourself for the Covid-19 vaccination through the JAKI application which can be downloaded on Google Play Store or App Store. After getting vaccinated, don’t forget to always do the 3M (wearing mask, washing hand, keeping distance) and stick to the health protocols wherever we are.
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