Indonesia - Anyone wanting to pay for a third dose out of pocket

FILE PHOTO: People wearing protective masks walk through a platform of a train station during the afternoon rush hours as the Omicron variant continues to spread, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Jakarta, Indonesia, January 3, 2022. REUTERS / Willy Kurniawan / File Photo

Indonesia has a fairly low rate of complete coronavirus vaccination as only 43% of the population has received both doses. The government's decision to start giving a third dose of the vaccine for a fee has provoked reasonable reactions, and many warn that moves like this raise doubts about the overall importance of the vaccine.

Indonesia starts the third installment on Wednesday by offering free vaccines only for the elderly and those who are unable to pay. The decision to make the majority of the population of 270 million pay to be vaccinated has caused great upset.

According to Al Jazeera, the government of the country is under criticism for its decision that distinguishes who will receive a free vaccine and who will not, while it has not yet announced how much each vaccine will cost.

How much will the vaccine cost?

Various estimates are available in the island nation of Asia, based on the international supply price of each formulation, ranging from $ 2,75 for a dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine and $ 23 for the Pfizer / BioNTech formulation.

Each vaccine is said to cost around Indonesia 300.000 rupees ($ 21 or 18,5 euros), but in practice private clinics that provide vaccines can charge three to seven times as much, Alexander told Al Jazeera. Arifianto, researcher at the Singapore School of International Studies.