By: Aldia Putra )*
The increase in Covid-19 cases, one of which is caused by the Omicron subvariants, namely BA.4 and BA.5, must be watched out for together. All parties must be able to increase mutual cooperation with discipline in implementing health protocols and also carry out full-dose vaccinations including boosters.
The government is currently really trying to minimize and as much as possible immediately end or break the chain of distribution of the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants so that Indonesia can be free from the Covid-19 pandemic. However, these efforts must be supported by all levels of society simultaneously.
Several things can be done by the community to support the succession of the Government, namely by re-implementing strict health protocols while increasing vaccinations with complete doses including boosters.
The Head of Disease Prevention and Control at the Banyumas District Health Office, Arif Sugiono, stated that it was necessary to increase caution throughout the community and his party would continue to monitor the characteristics of the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants. Reflecting on the experience of handling Omicron some time ago, he hopes that the character of this new subvariance is more or less similar, namely it has a low mortality rate and also low hospitalization.
Furthermore, Arif also appealed to the entire community so that the occurrence of the entry of the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants would then not cause a spike in the Covid-19 pandemic in Indonesia to increase significantly as in the past. For this reason, the community should continue to promote health protocols and strengthen their body’s immunity by vaccinating at the nearest health facility.
In line with Arif’s statement, Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta Ahmad Riza Patria also admitted that it was very important for all people to be able to return to implementing very strict health protocols in order to prevent the transmission of this new variant of Covid-19.
Moreover, Ahmad Riza added that recently there has been a relaxation that is very easy to find in the community regarding the implementation of health protocols. In addition, several events have even been attended by large numbers of people, such as the holding of music concerts, which means that the potential risk of transmission of the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants is very high.
Even so, it does not mean that the Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta forbids activities such as concerts. Instead, he stated that he would make various preparations in order to minimize the risk of transmission by preparing facilities, facilities and health workers. All of these efforts were carried out together with the Ministry of Health.
It is also undeniable that the main key in controlling the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants is the Indonesian people themselves. Because if people continue to ignore and do not heed health protocols and still do not fully carry out vaccination doses, then transmission will continue to occur.
Meanwhile, it was previously known that the entry of the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants in Indonesia was due to the discovery of 4 identified cases in Bali as stated directly from the Indonesian Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin. Therefore, the Ministry of Health is currently still monitoring how the latest Covid-19 variant is and it is tentatively said that this latest variant is able to avoid the immunity formed by the vaccine and the transmission is fast.
Recently, it is known that Covid-19 cases are slowly increasing in Indonesia. However, unlike the increase that occurred in the past several periods, this time the increase was due to the emergence of a new variant and not at all due to holidays or big holiday celebrations. With this provisional suspicion, Minister of Health Budi Gunadi still appealed to the entire community not to panic easily and to continue to strictly implement health protocols
All parties are asked to be aware of the trend of increasing positive cases due to the Covid-19 variant, by always obeying Prokes and following complete vaccinations to boosters. With the spirit of mutual cooperation, the spike in Covid-19 cases can be avoided and the economic recovery can continue.
)* The author is a contributor to Pertiwi Institute
