JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — AstraZeneca’s vaccine against COVID-19 has been cleared for use in Indonesia after a delay. The country’s drug regulator declared it safe after blood clotting concerns were raised in Europe. Also, an Islamic body said a pig-derived enzyme used in its production made the vaccine haram, or forbidden, but still encouraged Muslims to get vaccinated. The Indonesia Ulema Council said the AstraZeneca vaccine was acceptable because the pandemic is an emergency and many people must be vaccinated to beat the virus. AstraZeneca has said its vaccine does not contain pork products. Indonesia had delayed the rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine because of the reports of blood clots in some recipients. But European regulators said the vaccine was safe.
