By: Savira Ayu)*
Booster vaccines and strict Health Protocols (Prokes) are a powerful strategy to prevent the spread of Covid-19. This is necessary in line with the high potential for community mobility.
The threat of the Covid-19 pandemic is still not completely over. For this reason, we must not be careless when we want to travel, especially ahead of Eid al-Fitr as it is today. The reason is that it has become a tradition for Indonesian people to celebrate Lebaran at home and go home to be able to gather with extended family. Given the threat of Covid-19, booster vaccines and adherence to health protocols are very effective strategies to prevent transmission of the virus.
It should also be noted that the Covid-19 Handling Task Force (Satgas) has issued regulations regarding people who wish to travel within the country. The regulation has been effective since April 2, 2022 yesterday. As stated by Lt. Gen. Suharyanto as the Head of the Covid-19 Handling Task Force, that the issued rules are a follow-up to President Joko Widodo’s directives.
The reason is that President Jokowi himself had given directions that people who had undergone the third or booster vaccination were allowed to go home. Of course, it is not without reason that this rule was enforced, of course the biggest reason the Government is actually eager to take care of all its citizens so that they are not too risky to be exposed to Covid-19.
In addition, it can also be weighed down as a reward for people who continue to obey the directions given by the Government, so that they are given the trust to be able to travel back and forth for Lebaran later. The government’s great hope is of course that with this regulation, the whole community will be able to raise awareness among themselves that it is important to vaccinate and maintain health protocols.
Especially when the Lebaran homecoming tradition itself is also ingrained in the community, it cannot be denied that they will contact each other with their relatives back home so it will be very risky if someone does not heed the rules at all. The Ministry of Transportation has even predicted that on Eid day later, the trend of community activity for going home will increase.
As predicted by the Ministry of Transportation, it is estimated that there will be around 85.5 million people who go home for Eid in 2022. Therefore, all checks ranging from vaccine history to health conditions are very necessary.
There is an advantage for people who have undergone a booster vaccine because they can travel back and forth without any mandatory testing requirements being imposed.
Meanwhile, for people who have already run the second dose of vaccine, the testing requirements still apply, namely by using an antigen test on sampling within 1×24 hours or you can also use a PCR test within a period of 3×24 hours. For those who are still undergoing the first dose of vaccine, it is mandatory to show the results of the PCR test within 3 × 24 hours.
The efficacy of the booster vaccine to prevent transmission of Covid-19 is because 1 to 2 weeks after injection, an immunity will be formed which makes us more resistant to the virus. Therefore, the Government again gives an appeal to all people who have not yet received the full vaccine or are also using a booster, to immediately fulfill all the vaccinations.
Prof. Wiku Adisasmito as the Government Spokesperson for the Handling of Covid-19 said that it is recommended that at least 2 weeks before traveling home, people can immediately carry out booster vaccinations so that the formation of immunity will coincide with the time they carry out their homecoming trip.
The public is advised to take booster vaccinations and implement strict procedures during Lebaran homecoming. These two things are important elements to prevent the increase in the number of Covid-19 cases after Eid al-Fitr while protecting families from transmission of the Corona virus.
) *The author is a contributor to Pertiwi Institute
