By: Angga Gumilar )*
The Covid-19 vaccination has been shown to be effective in protecting the body from transmission of the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants. By following a complete or booster dose of vaccination, the bad effects of Covid-19 can be suppressed and people have strong immunity in their activities.
There is an update regarding the spread of Covid-19 in Indonesia. After previously going down and sloping, but recently the Covid-19 cases have spread again. This is due to the Omicron subvariants, namely BA.4 and BA.5. Even though there is an increase in cases, in fact experts state that the Covid-19 vaccine is still very effective in providing protection to humans even though they have to deal with the new variant.
In a press conference, Spokesperson for the Covid-19 Task Force, Wiku Adisasmito explained that experts in Europe agreed that people who had received the Covid-19 vaccination had a lower risk of contracting these BA.4 and BA.5 variants. In addition, in the event of transmission, when a person has received a vaccination, he or she will be protected from the severity of illness and even prevent the worst risk, namely death.
According to Prof. Wiku, although there is a provisional assumption that the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants have characters that are very easy and fast to spread. However, this new variant does not cause any indication of more severe symptoms when compared to other variants, especially Delta.
This new variant of the Covid-19 virus is indeed something that will be very difficult to avoid due to its constantly mutating nature. Prof. Wiku also appealed that the entire community could prevent it by continuing to adhere to strict health protocols, vaccinating for those whose doses were not complete and continuing to strive to implement a clean and healthy lifestyle.
Responding to the call to maintain health protocols and carry out complete vaccinations, the Chair of the Covid-19 Handling Task Force of the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI) Prof. Zubairi Djoerban strongly agrees with what Prof. Wiku said. In fact, according to him, health protocols should be re-enforced to the entire community so that they can really reduce the risk of transmission.
It is undeniable, he also realizes that there are some people who are getting tired because they have to continue to struggle with the Covid-19 pandemic that never ends. However, strictly adhering to health protocols is very crucial.
Chairperson of the Indonesian Allergy Immunology Association, Iris Rengganis, said that by implementing health protocols, a clean and healthy lifestyle, as well as completeness of vaccination doses to boosters, the public will be able to be protected even though it is not perfect because there is also a small risk of exposure.
Furthermore, Iris Rengganis explained that the effectiveness of administering the vaccine will slowly decrease if the virus continues to mutate by creating new variants, which is absolutely unavoidable. But that doesn’t mean that vaccines don’t provide protection for humans.
Meanwhile, data taken on Tuesday, June 14, 2022, recorded by the Ministry of Health that there have been 20 cases of people identified as Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants. Spokesman for the Ministry of Health Mohammad Syahril admitted that the number of cases continued to increase from the previous 8 cases, then increased to 12 and now to 20. The origin of the spread of BA.4 and BA.5 in Indonesia itself was first identified as coming from Bali, namely There were 4 cases on June 6, 2022. Then the exposure case was found in Jakarta a few days later.
According to the data and exposure of experts, indeed in order to prevent the transmission of the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants from continuing to increase, the entire community must simultaneously again promote strict health protocols, including maintaining a clean and healthy lifestyle and not forgetting to do Covid-19 vaccination for those who have not received the full dose. With this shared awareness, transmission can be prevented and Indonesia can enter the endemic phase.
)* The author is a contributor to the Pertiwi Institute