By: Putu Prawira )*
New cases of Covid-19 in Indonesia continue to experience an increasing trend in line with new variants of the Corona virus. People are asked to be obedient Prokes 5M (washing hands, m emakai mask, m enjaga distance, m enjauhi crowd, and m Limiting mobilization ) as one of the main keys to break the chain of transmission of Covid-19.
The status of the Covid-19 pandemic has not ended, the increasing number of confirmed cases and the emergence of new variants, make us have to really pay attention to health protocols in order to minimize the possibility of Covid-19 transmission.
The Genetics Working Group (Pokja) of the FKKMK (Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing) Universitas Gajah Mada (UGM) said that the Covid-19 variant B.1617.2 or delta was able to affect the human body’s immune system.
The head of the Genetics Working Group, Gunadi, said that the delta variant virus that was found had apparently spread in Kudus Regency, Central Java. The virus has been designated by WHO as a variant of concern (VOC) on May 31, 2021, considering its large impact on public health.
Gunadi said, a variant is included in the VoC category because it meets one or more of the three impacts. Includes, transmission power, the severity of the patient and affect the human immune system. He said that the temporary delta variant has proven to have two effects. Namely, more quickly transmitted and able to affect the response of the human immune system. This can be read through the cases in India and Kudus, where the transmission was so fast.
It is known that the del ta variant spreads more quickly than the alpha variant, where it turns out that the variant has a prevalence of 50-60% more quickly spread than alpha. Gunadi continued, this delta variant can also reduce the response of the human immune system to Covid-19 infection. Both caused by natural infections and vaccines.
Previously, the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) reported that it had found a mutation of the SARS-Cov-2 variant of the E484K alias Eek virus in Indonesia. Please note, the new variant was discovered after going through a Whole Genome Sequence (WGS) examination in February 2021.
The Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology (LBM) admitted that he was worried that the mutation of the Eek corona virus would have an impact on decreasing the efficacy of the Corona virus vaccine currently being used.
` we know that the effectiveness of the use of masks to prevent transmission has also been proven in clinical trials by the British market research firm Yougov, a team from the Miyazawa Clinic in Hyogo and the University of Houston-Victoria have collected data through computer models to find out how various factors affect mortality from the disease covid-19 in various countries. As a result, the use of face masks is the most significant way to reduce the risk of death from COVID- 19.
On a different occasion, a Clinical Microbiology Specialist from the Department of Microbiology of Gadjah Mada University (UGM), Dr. R Ludhang Pradipta R., M. Biotech, SpMK, said it was possible to be infected with the corona virus before or after vaccination.
The head of LB M Eijkam Amin Soebandrio said that the Eek corona variant was reported to have the potential to spread more quickly. Eijkman said, the mutation occurred in the spike protein or often called the S1 protein. This causes the receptors to bind to human cells more strongly, which has implications for the rapid and large number of transmissions.
Director of Prevention and Control of Directly Infectious Diseases (P2PML) of the Ministry of Health, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, suspects that the Eek variant has the potential to cause more massive transmission. Moreover, currently there are three variants of the corona virus that are spread in Indonesia.
On the previous occasion, Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas issued Instruction No. 01/2021 on the Movement for Socialization of the Implementation of the Health Protocol (5M). The instruction contains an appeal to intensify the socialization of the implementation of health protocols to the public. This was issued as an effort to prevent cases of Covid-19.
He also said that in carrying out the instructions, periodic reports must be made regarding the progress of the socialization movement for the implementation of the health protocol (5M) to the Emergency Response Team for the Prevention of the Spread of Covid-19 of the Ministry of Religion of the Republic of Indonesia. They are also required to report with attached photos or videos via the lapor5m.kemenag.go.id page.
We certainly need to learn from the explosion of Covid-19 cases in India, this incident is allegedly because the people there are increasingly neglecting to implement health protocols. Be what happened last month big wedding party in India. Many people don’t wear masks when they leave their homes.
Of course we all want the pandemic to end soon, of course we have a vital role to play in reducing the number of confirmed covid-19 cases, this vital role is our compliance with government regulations to continue to be disciplined in following health protocols.
)* The author is a contributor to the Press Circle and Cikini Students