COVID-19: Indonesia Authorises First Domestic Vaccines

Indonesia has approved its first locally developed COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use.

The head of the country's public health agency said this on Friday, hailing it as a step toward "the nation's independence in access to medicine."

The head of the national food and drugs agency (BPOM) Penny Lukito stated; "The development of a domestic vaccine is a pride for us Indonesians as a foundation and as the first step to achieve the nation's independence in access to medicine."

The IndoVac jab, developed by state-owned pharmaceutical company Bio Farma and Texas-based Baylor College of Medicine, can now be used as a primary dose for an unvaccinated or partially vaccinated adult in the country.

The medical chief said IndoVac had shown an efficacy rate of 92%, while there were no reports of death linked to it in trials and reported side effects were "generally mild."

The homegrown IndoVac jab has been granted a halal certificate, meaning it can be administered in line with the Islamic faith in Muslim-majority Indonesia.