LONDON: The current coronavirus vaccines in development will not end the pandemic, and governments should avoid eroding public trust by giving false hope, a key adviser to the UK government has warned.
Sir Jeremy Farrar, a member of the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, wrote in The Observer newspaper on Sunday that early vaccines are unlikely to offer total protection.
“The first vaccine may not be a silver bullet that sends us back to normal in a matter of months,” he warned.
“They may not be completely effective in all ages, or appropriate in all health systems. It’s very possible they may only provide immunity for a limited period, even as short as 12 to 18 months,” said Farrar, who is also director of health charity the Wellcome Trust.
“I am optimistic we will soon see results from the first vaccines coming through late-stage clinical trials. However, we must temper this optimism, talk of the perfect vaccine ‘just around the corner,’ or that it can be given to everyone immediately.”
He cautioned that setting expectations too high may lead to an eroding of public trust in future vaccines. “Already there are worrying signs of diminishing trust in potential Covid-19 vaccines,” he wrote.
“Trust is our most important tool in public health and we must do everything we can to avoid putting that in any doubt.” The urgency for a vaccine “must not mean compromising safety,” he added.
A growing body of evidence suggests that the immunity provided by COVID-19 vaccination is likely to be temporary.
Last week, the lead scientist behind Oxford University’s vaccine development program warned that it would be “difficult” to establish for how long the vaccine will provide protection from infection, and what level of immunity it will offer.
UK govt adviser warns against COVID-19 vaccine ‘false hope’
https://arab.news/y5pwr
UK govt adviser warns against COVID-19 vaccine ‘false hope’
- Sir Jeremy Farrar: Urgency “must not mean compromising safety”
- “First vaccine may not be silver bullet that sends us back to normal in matter of months”
Indonesia sets rules limiting use of AI for schoolchildren
- Indonesian children spend about 7.5 hours daily on tablets, smartphones
- Gen Zs make up the majority of AI users in the country of 280m people
JAKARTA: The Indonesian government introduced on Thursday a new policy regulating the use of digital technology in education, limiting access to artificial intelligence for students.
Generation Alphas and Gen Zs make up almost half of Indonesia’s online population, which reached nearly 230 million people in 2025, according to a survey conducted by the Association of Indonesian Internet Service Providers.
As Indonesian children clock around 7.5 hours of daily screen time, the joint ministerial decree seeks to boost the benefits of digital technology and AI in formal and informal educational institutions, while also protecting the youth from risks in digital spaces.
“There are a lot of factors but the number of teenagers with mental health issues are high and continue to increase, and one of the suspected triggers — that have been proven academically — is the uncontrolled, unmitigated use of digital technology,” said Pratikno, Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs.
“The effects on education are also concerning, such as how it weakens brain activity due to dependence on digital technology tools and reduces critical thinking and cognitive and reflective abilities. This is what we have to regulate.”
Among Indonesia’s 280 million population, around a quarter of internet users are already using AI, with Gen Zs making up about 43 percent of that segment.
The joint decree, which Pratikno described as “comprehensive” and encompasses early childhood education to higher education, was signed in Jakarta by seven ministers, including Higher Education, Science and Technology Minister Brian Yuliarto and Primary and Secondary Education Minister Abdul Mu’ti.
“This decree seeks to ensure that our children are not controlled by technology but become the masters of technology for good, that is our goal. (It prioritizes) digital wellness, (for tech to be used) wisely and intelligently,” Pratikno said.
The policy is important to support young Indonesians, many of whom are internet users from adolescence, said Communication and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid, who also signed the ministerial decree.
“Indonesia has a significant number of children using the internet. Therefore, we must ensure that they are not only a target market for the technology industry, but also able to utilize technology according to their readiness,” she said.
“Every kind of technological advance has to consider the readiness of its users, especially children.”
