Why Public Have Low Interest in COVID-19 Drugs?

Researchers from several institutions released survey results showing the low public interest in the COVID-19 drug and vaccine being developed by the government. This survey examines opinions about the drug developed by Airlangga University (Unair), the State Intelligence Agency (BIN), and the Indonesian Army (TNI AD) as well as the Sinovac-Bio Farma vaccine and the Red and White Vaccine.

The survey was initiated by Laporcovid19.org with the Faculty of Psychology, University of Indonesia, Magister of Disaster Management at UPN Veteran Yogyakarta, and the Higher Education Forum for Disaster Risk Reduction. Some 2,109 respondents from various ages, education, and occupations in 34 provinces took part in the survey.

As many as 61 percent of respondents expressed doubts about the efficacy of drugs developed by Unair in curing COVID-19. Only three percent of respondents strongly agreed, eight percent strongly disagreed, 12 percent agreed, and 17 percent disagreed. As many as 41 percent of respondents agreed that Unair's candidate COVID-19 drugs were not necessarily effective, 36 percent were doubtful, 18 percent strongly agreed, and five percent disagreed.

Meanwhile, 41 respondents cast doubts about the efficacy of the Sinovac-Bio Farma vaccine to protect them from contracting COVID-19. As many as 39 percent agreed, 14 percent strongly agreed, and six percent disagreed. Then, 41 percent of respondents doubted that the Sinovac-Bio Farma vaccine would not necessarily prevent COVID-19. As many as 37 percent of respondents agreed, 10 percent disagreed, nine percent strongly agreed, and one percent strongly disagreed.