By Canadian Press

Indonesia resumes use of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine

Mar 19, 2021 | 4:24 AM

JAKARTA, Indonesia — Indonesia on Friday cleared the AstraZeneca vaccine for use again after the European Union’s drug regulator said the vaccine didn’t increase the overall incidence of blood clots.

Southeast Asia’s biggest economy delayed the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine after more than a dozen countries in Europe suspended the vaccine due to concerns of some people who received the vaccine developing blood clots.

“The benefits of using the COVID-19 vaccine AstraZeneca outweigh the possible risks, so that we can start to use it,” Indonesia’s Food and Drug Authority said in its announcement.

Previously the World Health Organization said it saw no evidence the vaccine was to blame for the clots.

The Indonesian agency said the risk of death from COVID-19 was much greater, “Therefore, the community still has to get vaccination against COVID-19 according to the designated schedule.”

Court proceedings

'The impact of this trauma will echo for generations': court case surrounding La Ronge woman's death reaches conclusion

4h ago

Going Global

P.A.'s Zablocki named to Team Canada for U18 Women's World Championships

4h ago

Election 2024

Birch Hills staff won't share election decision

5h ago

Indonesia has received 1.1 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine on March 8, through COVAX — a multilateral effort seeking to ensure equitable global access to COVID-19 vaccination — with another 10 million more expected next month.

The AstraZeneca vaccine is the second to arrive in Indonesia after the one made by Chinese biopharmaceutical company Sinovac.

Indonesia aims to inoculate more than 181 million of its 270 million people by March 2022 as part of a free vaccination drive that began in January.

Niniek Karmini, The Associated Press