Indonesia approves Moderna vaccine as COVID-19 cases surge

Indonesia has given its emergency use approval to the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine as the world's fourth most populous country faces a surge of infections and deaths.

The National Agency of Drug and Food Control announced on a virtual press conference on Friday that an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the vaccine made in the United States was issued on Thursday.

Following the issuance of the EUA for the Moderna vaccine, the Southeast Asian country now has four vaccine contributors, including China's Sinovac, which is the biggest supplier, China's Sinopharm, AstraZeneca facilitated by the COVAX Facility, and Moderna.

Indonesia has recorded about 2.2 million cases and 58,995 deaths overall, the country's Health Ministry reported on Thursday.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)