Bio Farma Adds 25 Million Doses of Covid-19 Vaccine Supply in August 2021

Bio Farma received an additional supply of Covid-19 vaccine in the form of a finish product of five million doses on August 13, 2021. This number will increase to 25 million doses by the end of August 2021. (Photo | Andzar | CorComm Bio Farma)

Bio Farma received the arrival of the Covid-19 vaccine in the form of a finish product, CoronaVac from Sinovac, as many as five million doses in 2 doses/vials, on August 13, 202. Before being brought to Bio Farma in Bandung, the Covid vaccine -19, which were packaged in 14 special vaccine carriers, arrived at Soekarno-Hatta Airport on the same day at 12:05 WIB, using the Garuda Indonesia airline.

The arrival of CoronaVac, which is the arrival of the 36th stage of the Covid-19 vaccine, was greeted virtually by the Head of the Indonesian POM, Penny K Lukito. In his remarks, he said with the arrival of the vaccine today, adding to the vaccines already available for government vaccination programs that have been secured by Indonesia by more than 185 million doses, consisting of 144.7 million doses in bulk and 40.3 million doses.

"This also confirms that the government is working hard to fulfill the stock of Covid-19 vaccines to be used in the national vaccination program," said Penny .

The National Food and Drug Agency has issued an Emergency Use Permit (EUA) for Covid-19 vaccines, including Sinovac, Covid-19 Bio Farma, AstraZeneca, Sinopharm, Moderna and Pfizer.

“Before the vaccine can be used, the POM Agency will undergo quality control through sampling and testing at the hospital Center for Drug and Food Testing (P3OM) in order to provide release lots to ensure quality vaccines," he said.

Meanwhile, according to the Corporate Secretary and spokesperson for COVID-19, PT. Bio Farma, Bambang Heriyanto said, the vaccine that came today is a form of bilateral cooperation between Bio Farma and Sinovac Biotech Ltd. Bio Farma will receive at least 25 million doses of the CoronaVac Covid-19 vaccine finish product until the end of August 2021.

“For the first phase, five million doses will arrive today (13/8), and five million doses are planned for the closest one. In accordance with Sinovac's commitment, this vaccine will continue to come in stages up to 25 million doses until the end of August 2021," said Bambang.

Bambang added that currently, there are around five million doses of vaccines in stock, while the vaccines that are currently in quarantine and ready to be released until the end of August 2021 are 9.6 million doses, with the arrival of the vaccine being Sinovac today and those already released. as many as five million doses, it will increase the supply of Covid-19 vaccine at Bio Farma this month to 19.6 million doses.

This is the second time Bio Farma has received the Covid-19 vaccine in the finished product packaging, where previously in December 2020, Bio Farma also received the Covid-19 vaccine in the form of a finish product of three million doses intended for health workers. In terms of platform and quality, there is no difference between the Covid-19 vaccine received today, and the one received in December 2020 or even in bulk packaging.

Apart from Sinovac, until the end of August 2021, it is estimated that Indonesia will get an additional supply of vaccines estimated at more than 50 million doses, both through bilateral and multilateral schemes including through the Covax Facility from various brands such as Sinovac, AstraZeneca, Moderna, and from Pfizer.

"And during the first two weeks of August, we together with the Ministry of Health have distributed 19.3 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines with various vaccine brands with the following details: August 1, 2021 as many as 4.4 million doses, August 2 577 thousand doses, August 3 as many as 1.7 million doses, August 5, 2021 as many as 1 million doses, August 6 as many as 4.9 million doses and August 8 2021 as many as 2.7 million doses, on August 10 2021 4.1 million doses, "Bambang concluded.

Thus, for the total distribution of the Covid-19 vaccine itself, as of August 12, 2021, Bio Farma has distributed 106.2 million doses consisting of Covid-19 Bio Farma: 81.4 million doses, AZ Covax, bilateral and grants: 14.8 million doses of Moderna: 7 million doses.