The fallout
Komnas KIPI head Hindra Irawan Satari begged to differ. “[Komnas KIPI] has not gotten sufficient evidence to connect [Trio Fauqi Virdaus’] death to [AstraZeneca’s] Covid-19 vaccination,” he said.
“We established this finding following a joint audit with the Jakarta Provincial Administration. We have yet to find anyone who died as a result of the Covid-19 vaccine, as they usually die from other causes. ”
Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan waded into the controversy. “I urge the Ministry of Health to investigate [Trio’s] death,” said the Gerindra Party politician on Monday.
“This incident deserves our attention, as the government is trying to build public confidence in vaccinations. In Europe, the AstraZeneca vaccine is prioritized for people from their 40’s to 60's onwards.”
Also read: 3.8 Million AstraZeneca Vaccines to Arrive in Indonesia on April 26
Anies urged the Ministry to bolster screening for the vaccine, as it was known to cause blood clots on its recipients.
The deputy head of Parliament’s Commission IX on demographics, health, manpower and transmigration Melkiades Laka Lena reiterated Anies. “The government should find the exact causes of his death and explain their findings to the public," he said.
"I have called on the government and the Food and Drug Agency [BPOM] to be careful in using the AstraZeneca vaccine, especially as a number of European countries discontinued its use.”
Indonesia has 6,410,500 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which arrived in the country in three batches since last March.