Indonesia Expects COVID-19 Vaccine to Have Halal Certification as a Million Doses Are Sent There

Here’s a tough question: What if there’s a cure for a deadly disease out there but it goes against your religion teachings to consume? Would you take it? Or do you keep to your religion regardless of what others say?

Yes, a valid concern.

Thankfully, for the people of Indonesia, they don’t have to make such a dreadful choice for now.

Indonesia Expects COVID-19 Vaccine to Have Halal Certification as a Million Doses Are Sent There

On 7 Dec, it was reported that the highest Muslim clerical body in Indonesia is expected to issue a halal certification for the experimental China-based Sinovac Biotech Covid-19 vaccine.

Human Development and Culture Minister Muhadjir Effendy revealed that the Indonesian Ulema Council Halal Product Guarantee Agency and Institute for the Assessment of Food, Drugs and Cosmetics have completed a study on the vaccine and has requested a fatwa and halal certification for it.

Should the experimental vaccine be approved for use, the halal certification will go a long way into immunizing the people of Indonesia, a huge majority of whom are Muslims.

According to the same report, more than a million vaccine doses have arrived at Indonesia on Sunday evening (6 Dec 2020).

There is, however, no timeline for vaccine distribution yet.

Experimental Vaccine Needs To Go Through Clinical Trials

Before the vaccines can be distributed in the country, it must go through Phase 3 clinical trials first, the health minister of Indonesia, Terawan Agus Putranto, said.

“The government will provide a vaccine that is proven safe and passes clinical trials under World Health Organization recommendations.” – Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto

If the vaccine passes through Phase 3 trials successfully, it is expected to start distributing in mid-2021.

While a million doses sound like a lot, it actually isn’t, according to Hermawan Saputra of the Indonesian Public Health Expert Association.

The 1.2 million doses, he pointed out, is effective only for 600,000 people, given how an individual requires 2 doses of the vaccine.

To that point, he asks for the government to secure enough vaccine for the entire country, which has a population of 273,523,615.

It seems that the government is of the same mind.

Previously, the Indonesian government revealed that they’re planning to use different vaccines from different producers so that they can adequately vaccinate the country with the fourth-largest population in the world.

Meanwhile, in Singapore, Moderna, whose vaccine has produced positive results during the earlier clinical trial phases, is now seeking approval for the use of the vaccine in Singapore.

Should it be approved, vaccines could be shipped to Singapore immediately.

Meanwhile, Singapore Airlines is now testing trial flights for vaccine transportation so that as soon as the green light is given, they’ll be able to ferry large amounts to Singapore with no trouble.

As of the time of writing, Singapore has 58,273 Covid-19 cases, including 29 deaths due to Covid-19 complications.

For those curious, you might also want to find out why experts in Singapore think that Phase 3 of reopening is impossible in 2020; it’s likely our own fault.

You can read more here.

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