The Omicron variant has invaded Indonesia, the isolation room at the athlete’s house has now been filled with patients who were confirmed positive for Covid-19. This of course must make us not panic and remain obedient to health protocols (prokes) and vaccinations.
On January 28, 2022, the number of cases of Covid-19 has reached 9,905 people. Seeing the spike, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) asked the public not to panic and remain calm. The spike is suspected to be due to a new variant of Omicron which is rumored to be more contagious.
He stated that the government had made a lot of preparations to deal with the spike in Covid-19. The government has made improvements to various health facilities and infrastructure.
These improvements have also been adapted to the character of the Omicron variant which is different from the previous variant. To deal with this variant, the government also requires different handling. He explained that the government had provided telemedicine services, through health service applications. For patients infected with the Omicron variant of the Corona virus, not all of them need direct health services.
Moreover, the symptoms are also not too dangerous and the most important thing is to minimize contact, because this will prevent a wider spread. The former governor of DKI Jakarta also invited the public to maintain their own health and increase immunity.
On a different occasion, Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin admitted that the transmission of the Omicron variant in Indonesia was massive. However, he asked the public not to panic because the symptoms of this virus are milder than the previous variants.
Budi ensured that the government had made various efforts to anticipate the third wave of Covid-19 caused by the Omicron variant. One of them is increasing the number of Covid-19 vaccination centers, especially in DKI Jakarta. In order to facilitate vaccination activities, Budi asked the private sector to participate in contributing to the provision of vaccination centers.
Furthermore, the readiness of health facilities (faskes) is also one of the government’s efforts to anticipate the third wave. According to Budi, the government has prepared 80,000 beds in various hospitals for Covid-19 patients. In fact, it can be maximized up to 150 thousand beds.
He also assessed that not all Covid-19 patients require direct treatment at health facilities. If the patient has mild or asymptomatic symptoms, it is enough for the patient to undergo self-isolation and contact a health facility using telemedicine services.
Of course the Omicron variant should not be taken lightly, although most cases cause fairly mild symptoms. The reason remains the possibility that the Omicron variant causes severe symptoms. In addition, the very rapid spread of Omicron variants can also cause a surge in patients in various health services.
For those who have just traveled abroad, of course, it is mandatory to comply with the quarantine rules. In addition, keep your distance when you get off the transportation fleet and obey the Covid-19 guidelines from local authorities when you arrive at the airport, station, or port.
Don’t forget to always wear a mask wherever you are, because the use of masks has been proven to be effective in preventing the transmission of the Corona virus. Currently, wearing N95 and KN95 masks during the Omicron surge is recommended, however, the use of medical masks can also be used to prevent transmission.
If you are out of the house, make sure to always keep your distance and avoid crowds to avoid transmission of Omicron. WHO (World Health Organization) has said that social distancing is one of the best ways to prevent the Covid-19 outbreak from increasing.
In addition to the discipline of implementing health protocols, what is necessary and important is to increase the body’s immunity to prevent transmission of Omicron. Improving immunity can be done by implementing a healthy lifestyle, such as consuming healthy and nutritious food, exercising regularly, managing stress and getting enough rest.
If needed, taking multivitamin supplements can also help maintain immunity. In addition, vaccination is also important to follow so that the body has immunity to fight the virus.
Health protocols must be tightened again, keeping distance, washing hands, and wearing masks are independent strategies that must be adhered to, besides that vaccination is also important to obey so that the body has the ability to fight the Corona virus.
By: Sabrina Aulia )* The author is a contributor to the Press Circle and Cikini Students
