Indonesia plans to give the COVID-19 vaccine to working-age adults before seniors get their shots fired to quickly achieve herd immunity.
The Indonesian health minister estimated that about 181.5 million people, or 67 percent of the population, would need to be shot to achieve herd immunity.
The country, which uses China’s Sinovac Biotech vaccine, also says it does not yet have enough information on how the shot affects older people, as clinical trials have been done under the ages of 18 to 59 years. Indonesia also expects to receive the Pfizer and AstraZeneca. vaccines soon.
The country’s approach differs greatly from that of the US, which prioritizes healthcare workers and senior citizens with the Pfizer and Modern vaccines.
Dale Fisher, a professor at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore, said he believes both approaches can work.
“Younger working adults are generally more active, more social and travel more, so this strategy will reduce the transmission of communities faster than vaccinating older people,” Fisher told Reuters.
‘Of course, older people are at greater risk of having serious illnesses and deaths, so this is an alternative reason to vaccinate. I see earnings in both strategies. ”
With Post threads