By : Zakaria )*
Currently, Indonesia is preparing to enter the endemic phase because conditions are stable enough and there is no surge in patients. There is no potential for a fourth wave of corona like last year. However, the public must be vigilant because the Covid-19 virus is still around, and they must continue to be disciplined in implementing health protocols.
When the new pandemic started in 2020, people were afraid of getting corona, and they immediately bought up masks, face shields, hand sanitizers , and herbs such as ginger, to keep themselves protected from the Covid-19 virus. The appeal to stay at home was immediately fulfilled. The community also lives a healthy lifestyle by exercising (usually cycling) and maintaining environmental hygiene.
However, when the pandemic was almost 3 years in duration, discipline regarding health protocols began to appear to be slack. First, it’s rare for anyone to wear a mask, especially when riding a motorcycle. Second, many events are held on a large scale and do not comply with health protocols because they cannot keep their distance.
Even though currently the transition period to endemic and pandemic status may end soon, because coverage of the first dose of vaccination is more than 90%. The Chairperson of the IDI PB Task Force, Professor Zubairi, stated that from a number of indicators, the pandemic phase was almost over, and replaced with endemic.
An endemic condition is when a disease (in this case corona) is still present but has limited transmission. The disease is only present in certain areas and its transmission can be controlled. An example of endemic is malaria in Kalimantan and Papua.
Professor Zubairi continued, the indicator of entering an endemic period is the corona positivity rate below 3 percent. Meanwhile, the patient mortality rate and hospital bed occupancy rates are very low. People will be familiar with the term endemic, after experiencing a pandemic for more than 2 years.
As of October 16 2022, there were 1,326 corona patients. Indeed, this figure is still quite worrying, but it is already lower than a month ago, where there were 2,162 patients. This means that the number of Covid-19 patients has been reduced by almost half, and people are relieved because the transmission of corona has decreased.
Meanwhile, doctor Syahril stated that Indonesia had adopted the WHO strategy towards the endemic phase. First, socialize that the Covid-19 pandemic still exists. Second, vaccinate both the first, second and third doses (boosters). Third, by maximizing corona treatment from upstream to downstream, and finally by controlling it so that there is no surge in patients.
In a sense, socialization must still be carried out so that many people are aware that this is still a pandemic period, even though it has almost entered the endemic phase. The public must still adhere to health protocols and be injected with vaccines, so they are safe from the ferocity of the corona. Discipline regarding health protocols must be increased again.
However, the behavior of people who still violate health protocols must be warned, because if it is carried out en masse, it could increase the number of corona patients again. For example, the point of keeping their distance, and currently the market and other public places are full of visitors and they don’t care if they have to be crowded together. Likewise with other places such as terminals and stations, boisterous with prospective passengers.
Even though violations of this health protocol can cause a new corona cluster. Especially when there are people who have not been vaccinated. They want to be alone, they don’t want to keep their distance, they don’t even wear masks. If the person has an OTG status (person without symptoms) will spread droplets containing the Covid-19 virus in the crowd.
Therefore, people are encouraged to continue to comply with the 10M health protocol, especially wearing masks. Wearing a mask is the first way to avoid corona, because OTG is everywhere.
Doctor Reisa Broto Asmoro stated that the effectiveness of wearing masks only occurs when at least 75% of people in 1 room are wearing them. Therefore, people must work together and wear masks, to avoid the risk of corona transmission. WHO even recommends wearing a double mask, with a cloth mask position on the outside and a disposable mask on the inside.
When everyone is orderly, the number of Covid-19 patients will decrease drastically and the pandemic phase can end quickly, because vaccination coverage is almost 100%. With the start of the endemic phase, the situation began to be safe. However, to survive the corona (because this disease is still endemic), you must comply with the 10M health protocol.
In addition to complying with the protocol, people are also required to get up to 3 doses of vaccination. Vaccination and health promotion are the keys to not getting infected with Corona. If you are already sick and suffering for 14 days, you will be very sorry because you didn’t get the vaccine immediately but instead contracted the corona.
Indonesia will be getting ready to enter the endemic phase and end the pandemic, because corona cases are getting under control and deaths from this virus are very minimal. But to enter the endemic phase, the conditions are to comply with the 10M health protocol and also get vaccinated.
)* The author is a contributor to Persada Institute