By: Afrizal )*
The Covid-19 booster vaccination, aka the third injection, will be carried out in 2022. With this booster injection, it is hoped that it will prevent the negative impact of the spread of Omicron.
Since the beginning of 2021, a national vaccination has been launched and all Indonesian citizens are required to be injected up to 2 times. Vaccination is very important because it can increase the body’s immunity and survive the threat of Corona (provided that it must comply with health protocols). Even to increase immunity, a booster or extra vaccine injection is needed in humans.
Researchers in the UK found that booster vaccination increased immunity by 85% against the Omicron variant Corona. This is evidenced because more than 50% of the population in Queen Elizabeth’s country has received a booster vaccination. The result is a decrease in Corona cases, especially in the Omicron variant.
Indeed, the Corona vaccine on the market is not specifically designed to deal with the Omicron variant, because the Covid-19 virus continues to mutate. However, a booster vaccine will further increase the body’s resistance, because it can stop the virus from settling in the body and damaging the organs in it. Therefore, the third injection must also be carried out to survive the Omicron variant Corona.
Why should we be wary of the Omicron variant of Corona? The reason is because the virus mutation results are claimed to spread 5 times faster. So it must be blocked so that it does not spread en masse and causes an increase in Covid cases in Indonesia. The current situation is relatively safe because the number of patients per day is not up to 200 people and there should not be a spike in cases and cause a third wave of Corona attacks.
If there is a third wave of Corona attacks, the situation will be even more complicated because the hospital could be full again with Covid-19 patients. This situation can trigger a downturn in the economy. We certainly don’t want this bad possibility to happen, therefore booster vaccines must be given to everyone.
Indeed, last year, booster vaccines were given to Indonesian citizens, but specifically to doctors, nurses and other medical personnel. They are prioritized to be given a booster because it is a tough task and a high risk for infection from patients. The reason is because if there are many patients, the health workers can work long shifts, aka up to 12 hours, so that they are tired and easily infected with disease.
However, the government decided to give booster vaccines to everyone, not only health workers. The reason is because currently there are more than 100 Corona Omicron patients in Indonesia. Do not let this number increase and make the situation worse, because PPKM level 4 could be strictly enforced.
The booster vaccine is planned to start in January 2022. However, unlike before, this vaccine is not completely free. Coordinating Minister for Humanities Luhut B Pandjaitan stated that only 100 million people would get free vaccines while the rest had to pay for it themselves. Those who get free vaccines are the ones who really need it but their income is subpar.
Although there is a paid booster vaccine, it is certain that the price is not up to 300,000. At this price, it’s actually not too expensive because the benefits far exceed the nominal value. You certainly don’t want to be infected with the Omicron variant of the Covid-19 virus, right?
The Corona booster vaccine will begin to be injected to the public, on January 12, 2022. This vaccine is very important to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant of Corona, and indeed this mutated virus spreads much faster than other variants. Therefore we are obliged to be injected with a booster vaccine.
)* The author is a contributor to the Press Circle and Cikini Students