New Variant Of COVID-19 Arcturus Enters Indonesia, Mobility When Eid Is Asked To Mandatory Masks

Illustration of the use of masks (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Community mobility will be high during Eid al-Fitr, University Epidemiologist Andalas Padang Defriman Djafri said the easiest way to protect yourself from the COVID-19 variant Arcturus by implementing health protocols, especially wearing a mask. The community must also be smart, because the moments of Eid al-Fitr in the near future will improve our mobility and interaction, so the safest way is to wear masks correctly, especially those who already have symptoms such as fever, cough, or nasal congestion, said Defri quoted by ANTARA, Friday, April 14. He said, symptoms or symptoms of the new variant XBB.1.16 or Arcturus are almost similar to previous variants, for that the public must continue to apply health protocols and should not assume that COVID-19 is no longer present, because based on recent studies, there is a possibility of breakthrough infection from the Arcturus variant. What is feared is that there is a possibility of breakthrough infection, meaning that it can penetrate individuals who have received the vaccine. The ability of this Arcturus variant has also developed rapidly, so the community must be careful, because it can pass through the immunity that we have built, even data in the latest patients have been vaccinated up to the third dose," said Defri. Defri said, to ensure how quickly the transmission of Arcturus in patients who have been vaccinated, more details are needed to be examined with whole genome sequencing or WGS, to map out how this variant can enter, as well as so that the history (history) of transmission can be seen. Previously, the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) stated that it detected two patients infected with Omicron Arcturus subvariant which had been vaccinated until the third dose in Jakarta and had been declared cured.

Defri also provides tips for the community to always maintain body immunity, because the Arcturus variant is able to avoid an immune response, "There is not enough vaccination, of course you need to maintain body immunity, especially if this fasting month increases nutritional intake so that the body's stamina is maintained, besides that health protocols are further tightened, especially wearing masks properly, especially people who have symptoms and are at high risk, who have a history of comorbidities or congenital diseases," said Defri.