Motorcycle Taxi Rider and Family Bravely Roll up Sleeves for Covid-19 Vaccine Trial

BANDUNG, KOMPAS.com – A motorcycle taxi rider and his six family members are among the 1,620 volunteers for Covid-19 vaccine trials that began on August 11 in Indonesia.

Indonesian vaccine manufacturer PT Bio Farma and its counterpart Sinovac Biotech Ltd of China are carrying out the coronavirus vaccine test at the Faculty of Medicine at Padjajaran University in Bandung, West Java.

Bike taxi rider Fadly, 32, and three others in his family received their shots of the Covid-19 vaccine last Tuesday, while the other three family members are still waiting for their turn.

Also read: Indonesia’s Bio Farma Seeks Volunteers to Test Coronavirus Vaccines

“My wife, my sibling, my mother, my in-law, and two other relatives volunteering [for this vaccine trials],” said Fadly when contacted by Kompas.com on August 14.

On the day Fadly received the shot, he came with 19 other volunteers. He had also prepared himself by undergoing health checks before the vaccine.

He said that the reason he was willing to volunteer for the Covid-19 vaccine clinical trial is to ensure the health and safety of the family because of his daily work as a bike taxi rider who receives bookings from passengers through an online hailing app. He said his job renders him quite vulnerable to get infected by the coronavirus.

“I work as a motorcycle taxi rider who is at high risk of getting Covid-19. When there is an opportunity of receiving the vaccine, I will participate,” he said.

“I don’t want to bring the coronavirus home as three children are living with us,” said Fadly, who resides in Kopo in Bandung regency.

Also read: 12 Million Indonesian SMEs to Get Cash Assistance from Government Soon