Indonesia's Regulator Greenlights AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine For Emergency Use

Indonesia's food and drug agency, BPOM, on Tuesday approved AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine for emergency use after receiving the first batch

BANGKOK (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th March, 2021) Indonesia's food and drug agency, BPOM, on Tuesday approved AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine for emergency use after receiving the first batch.

The first 1.1 million doses arrived in the Asian nation on Monday through the COVAX facility, making it the first country in the region to receive vaccines free of charge through the international shots-sharing mechanism.

"Based on the results of the evaluation and also the consideration of the benefits and risks, BPOM has issued the emergency use authorization on February 22 under the number EUA2158100143A1," BPOM Head Penny Lukito told reporters, as cited by the Tempo news portal.

Indonesia is set to receive a total of 4.6 million doses of the vaccine developed by the UK-Swedish pharmaceutical company in March.

Mass inoculations campaign was launched in the Asian country in mid-January, using CoronaVac vaccine developed by the Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinovac.