By: Authoritative Password
Prokes discipline and vaccinations are still the main keys to suppress Covid-19 ahead of the Christmas and New Year (Nataru) momentum. The public is also expected to always comply with these appeals given the current trend of increasing positive cases in various countries.
In several countries the third wave of the pandemic has again increased the number of active cases, in Indonesia the increase in cases often occurs after the holiday period. Therefore, ahead of the Christmas and New Year holidays, the Indonesian people must be disciplined in following health protocols along with accelerating vaccinations for all age groups.
Nelwan Harahap as Assistant Deputy for Emergency and Post-Disaster Management at the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture (Kemenko PMK) said the government is trying to anticipate the third wave during Nataru. The first anticipation that will be done is to abolish collective leave on December 24, 2021 in order to suppress community mobility at the end of the year.
Second, prohibiting state civil servants (ASN) from taking time off during the Nataru holiday. This is stated in the Circular Letter of the Minister of PAN-RB Number 13 of 2021 concerning Restrictions on Traveling Outside the Region and/or leave for ASN during National Holidays in 2021.
Nelwan assessed that all these efforts are important because high mobility has the opportunity to cause the transmission of COVID-19. Moreover, Indonesia has a trend of increasing cases after the long holiday.
On a different occasion, the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Menko Marves), Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, asked the public to be disciplined in implementing health protocols (prokes).
According to Circular (SE) No. 16 of 2021, the 6M procedures that must be carried out are wearing masks, washing hands with soap and running water, maintaining distance, staying away from crowds, reducing mobility and avoiding eating together. to anticipate the spike in Covid-19 cases ahead of the Christmas and New Year holidays.
We need to know, based on the survey results of the Research and Development Agency (Balitbang) of the Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub), the mobility of people for the Java-Bali region who will travel is predicted to increase by around 19.9 million while for Jabodetabek around 4.45 million.
He also added that President Joko Widodo had previously asked to formulate strategies and take policies, so that there would not be an increase in mobility due to the Nataru holiday.
Luhut also mentioned the obligation for PCR tests for air transportation modes which caused polemics in the community. He said that the obligation was aimed at balancing the relaxation that was applied especially in the tourism sector.
Scientists have also called for urgent action to increase public confidence in vaccination. Given that research shows a sizable minority in some countries may be reluctant to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
With few effective treatments and no cure for COVID-19, companies and governments are also racing to develop vaccines in an effort to stop the pandemic.
In a study published in the journal Nature Medicine, researchers in Spain, the United States and the United Kingdom surveyed 13,400 people in 19 countries hardest hit by COVID-19. The study found that while 72% of respondents said they would be vaccinated, 14 % refused and another 14% expressed doubt.
The researchers found that the people who had the least trust in the government were those who were less likely to be vaccinated. In fact, those who have been sick with COVID-19 are no more likely to respond positively.
Spokesperson for the Covid-19 Handling Task Force, Reisa Brotoasmoro, said that vaccines are an effort to build immunity to fight disease. This is a prevention so that people do not need to be exposed to the disease first to grow their immunity.
Professor of the Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing UGM, Tri Wibawa, asked the public to remain obedient to health protocols even though they have received vaccines later.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) also appreciated the Indonesian government for being quite swift in carrying out the Covid-19 vaccination program. WHO representative for Indonesia, Paranietharan, said that not many developing countries in the world have vaccinated their people. One of them is Indonesia.
On a different occasion, WHO Indonesia Immunization Officer Olivi Silalahi said that Indonesia was one of the most successful countries in the world in carrying out the Covid-19 vaccination program.
The pandemic is not over yet, health protocol
