By: Ferdi Nurmansyah)*
The Omicron variant of Corona is still a scourge among the public and is believed to be more contagious than the previous variant. However, the public is asked not to worry and always obey Prokes until vaccinations are proven to be able to suppress cases of Covid-19 transmission.
Corona transmission is increasing and the number of Covid patients per day reaches 30,000 people. People are worried that a third wave of attacks will occur. The pandemic is not over yet but we have to be patient in dealing with it and comply with every government program, including health protocols, vaccinations, and Corona testing.
Doctor professor Tjandra Yoga Aditama Sp P(K), Director of Postgraduate at Yarsi University stated that the world is facing a new variant (Omicron) which is spreading very fast. However, most of the spectrum has mild symptoms, which is 80%. In this sense, we don’t have to panic in dealing with Omicron because it is not as big as the delta of symptoms, on condition that health protocols and vaccinations must be disciplined.
Prof. Tjandra continued, when there was an increase in cases, the hospital equipment had to be prepared again (rooms, medical equipment, etc.). The public must also obey health protocols and limit social activities. In a sense, don’t travel except for very important business, because Corona cases are on the rise.
The prohibition on traveling is a point in the 10M health protocol that is most prioritized, because Corona can spread via travel, due to mass movements. It is proven that after Hari Raya there is always an increase in the number of Covid patients, even though there is actually a strict ban on going home.
It’s sad that there are still people who violate this rule and are desperate to take a trip abroad. Arriving in Indonesia, they return with Omicron ‘souvenirs’ and then have the potential to infect 70 other people. How sad that he was infected because he did nothing but became sick because of Corona.
Therefore, the government is increasingly promoting vaccination because the more people who have been vaccinated, the less Corona transmission will be. Mass vaccinations are held everywhere (with observance of health protocols of course). Students (aged 6 years and over) who will start face-to-face learning are also required to be vaccinated first.
Get vaccinated immediately, while it’s still free and the procedure is simplified. If you have been vaccinated twice, then wait 6 months later to get a booster, aka the third injection. The goal is for the body to get perfect immunity against Corona, of course with the condition that health protocols must be disciplined.
In addition to vaccination, to deal with the increase in Corona cases, 3T, testing, tracing and treatment must be intensified. If at the beginning of the pandemic there was mass and random testing aka rapid testing everywhere, then now it has to be restarted. The goal is to know; If someone catches Corona then get treated quickly. He will survive death because it is quickly handled.
Especially if you get Omicron whose symptoms are not like other variants of Corona, with testing it will be clearer that he is positive or not. The reason is, the symptoms of getting Omicron are different from delta or other variants, because there is no anosmia or loss of the function of the sense of smell.
In addition to testing, there must be tracing and treatment. Tracing is carried out as a search so that patients who are positive for Covid remember and know who they have been in contact with. Then the contact is also tested to find out if he is positive for Corona or not. If it is positive then the next step is treatment, which is still free of charge by the government (as long as there is a BPJS card).
To reduce the rate of transmission of the Corona virus, it is necessary to intensify efforts to discipline health protocols, including the Covid-19 vaccination, as well as 3T, testing, tracing, and treatment. It is hoped that these steps will suppress the transmission of Corona to the maximum.
)* The author is a contributor to the Pertiwi Institute