Sri Mulyani: Indonesia Expected to Weather Out Coronavirus Pandemic in 2021

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – The Minister of Finance called on Indonesian citizens to remain cautious as the country is expected to continue battling the coronavirus pandemic until 2021.

Despite Indonesia’s Covid-19 vaccine distribution plans, Sri Mulyani said that there remain numerous uncertainties regarding a potential cure to the deadly virus.

She added that the Indonesian government’s plan to roll out Covid-19 vaccinations next year may not necessarily be conducted at the same time or be equally distributed.

Read also: Indonesia Postpones Covid-19 Vaccination to December 2020

“The situation in 2021 will likely remain the same. Even if we found a Covid-19 vaccine, we cannot carry out the vaccination programs altogether at the same time next year.

Sri Mulyani said that up to now, there are 25 Covid-19 vaccines that are currently undergoing clinical trials globally.

However, a significant amount of time is required to properly implement the clinical trials as there are many layers to the testing process.

“There are some vaccines that have made it to the third-phase of clinical trials. From there, certified agencies such as the Indonesian Food and Drug Administration will issue its Emergency Use Authorization authority to allow the start of safe Covid-19 vaccinations in Indonesia.”

Read also: Indonesia to Follow Global Standards for Safe Covid-19 Vaccine Distribution

With several countries around the world facing a second wave of coronavirus infections such as the US, France, Germany, the UK, Italy, and Spain, the situation has become increasingly more complex.