As vaccination drive begins, Indonesia, UK following different approaches to tackle pandemic
Covid vaccine
The last year was full of stories of the novel coronavirus, however, in a breakthrough in 2021, most of the news is focussed on the vaccination campaign that has begun in several countries.
While most countries are immunising frontline workers and the most vulnerable population, some countries are following a different approach. Here's a report that decodes this.
In Indonesia, inoculation drive is centred around young and healthy and the reason is Chinese vaccines.
The country has a deal as per which they will get around 125 million shots of China-based Sinovac.
The first batch of three million doses has arrived, but the country does not know whether the shot would work on the elderly.
The shot has been tested on people in the age group of 18 to 59 years in Indonesia.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo will get the first shot and he has promised that there will be free shots for every citizen.
"After recalculating our state financial status, I'd like to announce that Covid-19 vaccinations for the people are free of charge," said Widodo.
Other than Indonesia, the UK is also taking a different route despite concerns raised by some experts.
The UK will allow mix and match vaccinations, allowing doctors to administer two different vaccines to a person.
If there is a shortage of doses, this could be a gamble.
Regulators in the US have specifically asked doctors not to mix the shots, saying their safety has not been tested yet.
Also, Britain has changed its earlier approach of giving two doses to giving the first shot to as many people as possible.
As the cases rise in Britain, the focus is to administer as many shots as possible.
Over concerns of a shortage of vaccines in Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has clarified that there are enough shots to cover all citizens.
"We do have the capacity, the issue is to do with the supply of the vaccine and there you've got to, it's not so much a manufacturing issue, though that is is part of it, it's also that each batch needs to be properly approved and quality controlled," said Johnson.
Another major problem by both these countries is anti-vaxxers who are opposing in large numbers in these countries.
Amid the challenges on various fronts, the two leaders of these countries are hoping a quick roll-out to silence misinformation.