Emma Connors, Singapore/Jakarta – A dwindling supply of COVID-19 vaccines has forced Indonesia to slow down its ambitious vaccination program and could affect plans to reopen schools that have been closed for more than a year.
More than 80 schools in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta last week welcomed children back in what will be a three-week trial of pandemic-safe teaching. However, the vaccination of teachers and other essential workers will now take longer than expected because of supply shortages.
The Indonesian government aims to vaccinate 181.5 million people against COVID-19 in one of the world's most ambitious campaigns. Some 40 million, including essential workers, were scheduled to have been vaccinated by the end of this month.
So far just over 10 million had received their first jab and about half of those – including 26,351 of Jakarta's 142,403 teachers – are fully vaccinated after having their second dose. Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said the first phase would take months longer than expected due to the third wave now swamping countries such as India and Brazil.
Indonesia is relying heavily on vaccines produced by China's Sinopharm and Sinovac but was also due to receive 100 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine this year, just over half of them through the COVAX global vaccine alliance scheme. Only 1 million of 11 million doses that were due in the country in March and April have landed.
Export restrictions imposed by India mean the rest won't arrive until May, Mr Budi told a parliamentary hearing last week.
The Indonesian government's separate order for 50 million AstraZeneca doses this year has also been pared back. Only 20 million will now arrive in 2021, with the rest put off until 2022.
"That's something that we cannot accept and we're negotiating with AstraZeneca. So that's 100 million doses of vaccine whose schedule remains unclear," Mr Budi said.
India has denied it has banned vaccine exports from the Serum Institute of India, one of AstraZeneca's biggest production partners. However, the government of Narendra Modi is under pressure to prioritise domestic need as COVID-19 infections soar across the country. India reported 152,682 cases on Saturday, the highest daily number since the pandemic began.
Indonesia has reported between 5000 and 7000 cases a day in recent weeks, down from the 14,000-plus recorded in January and February. The reduction has allowed a relaxation of some restrictions, including the cautious return to school.
Mr Budi said Indonesia was negotiating with vaccine-producing countries, including China, in the hope of getting supplies back on track next month.
The Asian Development Bank has approved a $US450 million ($590 million) loan to Indonesia to help Bio Farma, a state-owned vaccine supplier, secure 65 million vaccine doses for priority groups but even with the additional funding, supply is expected to remain restricted.
– with Natalia Santi
Source: https://www.afr.com/world/asia/third-wave-slows-vaccinations-in-indonesia-20210411-p57i8