By: Maya Safitri )*
The increase in Covid-19 cases in recent times requires vigilance and cooperation from all parties. All elements of society are also asked to unite by always implementing strict Prokes and following vaccinations.
Health protocols such as wearing masks were intensified at the beginning of the pandemic, last April 2020. People are busy buying masks until this item is rare in the market. Unfortunately, after more than 2 years, the discipline in wearing masks and implementing other points in the health protocol began to decline.
It could be that people are tired of facing the pandemic because they are not only tired physically but also mentally. However, you should still wear a mask and follow health protocols. The public is advised to continue to wear masks, both outside and indoors, the aim is to prevent an increase in Corona cases. They work together so that the number of Covid-19 patients can be reduced.
As of June 22, 2022, there were 1,985 cases of Corona in Indonesia. Compare this to May 22, 2022, which ‘only’ there were 285 cases. The increase in the number of Corona patients is very drastic and the graph could climb again if people continue to ignore health protocols and vaccinations.
Alexander K Ginting, Head of the Health Support Sub-Sector for the Emergency Covid-19 Task Force, stated that the increase in Corona cases in Indonesia was due to lax implementation of health protocols, increased community mobility and the emergence of the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants. The Covid-19 Task Force Team will step in to villages and sub-districts to provide counseling about the importance of health protocols.
Alexander continued, the Covid-19 Task Force Team also disseminated health protocols to people who were actively mobile. For example, users of commuter trains and other public transportation. In a sense, socialization continues to be carried out so that people continue to be disciplined in implementing health protocols, even though they are actively mobile.
Socialization regarding the importance of health protocols must be intensified again because there are ordinary people who think the pandemic is over. Finally, when people leave the house, people no longer wear masks, even though they are active indoors every day.
The community must synergize with the Covid-19 Handling Task Force to prevent the transmission of Corona. This is done by following health protocols such as wearing masks, washing hands, keeping a distance, and so on. Moreover, the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants have entered Indonesia and are suspected to be more virulent than ordinary Omicron. Viruses that mutate are indeed more dangerous, so don’t relax health protocols and keep buying masks as supplies at home.
In addition to being disciplined in health protocols, the public is also obliged to vaccinate. Don’t let anyone join in to be anti-vaccination for fictitious reasons or hoaxes. The pandemic has claimed millions of lives, so if not a vaccine the threat is death.
Vaccination has proven its effectiveness. In addition, the vaccine is also able to prevent the fatal effects of the effects of Covid-19 and has very minimal side effects. One of them is just pain in the arm and it is a normal reaction after the injection.
Currently vaccination coverage in Indonesia is more than 70% but that is for the second dose of injection. As for the booster, aka the third injection, only 19.39%. This figure is certainly very small because to get out of the pandemic phase it requires a minimum vaccination coverage of 75%. So hurry up if you haven’t already, and check the schedule in the Cares Protect application.
To prevent the increase in Corona cases, the community and the Covid-19 Handling Task Force must work together. The trick is to re-socialize the health protocol. In addition, everyone must get the Corona vaccination so that their body immunity increases and they are not easily infected with the Covid-19 virus. With mutual awareness, it is hoped that the explosion of Covid-19 cases can be prevented.
)* The author is a contributor to the Circle of the Equator