Meski Sudah Berstatus Endemi, Satgas COVID PB IDI Sarankan Masyarakat Tetap Suntik Vaksin Booster Dosis Ke-2

Screenshot of the Head of the COVID-19 Task Force for the Executive Board of the Indonesian Doctors Association, Dr. dr. Erlina Burhan, Sp.P(K), at an online press conference in Jakarta, Thursday (22/6/2023). (ANTARA/Pamela Sakina)

JAKARTA - Head of the COVID-19 Task Force for the Executive Board of the Indonesian Doctors Association, Dr. dr. Erlina Burhan, Sp.P(K) advised the public to continue to carry out the 4th or 2nd booster vaccination, even though the status of the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia has officially become endemic. "The fourth vaccine or the second booster has indeed become a government program. So it should still be done," Erlina said at an online press conference, quoted from Antara, Thursday, June 22. Erlina, who is also a pulmonary specialist, said that the fourth vaccine still needs to be done other than because the achievement rate is still low, increasing immunity is certainly having an impact on the level of COVID-19 infection in the community. Vaccination greatly affects the formation of community antibodies to COVID-19 so as to minimize the possibility of another spike in cases. "The government must also remain committed that this fourth vaccine must continue to be implemented, as previously planned," said Erlina. Erlina warned that although COVID-19 can be controlled very well and the possibility of forming mutations of new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is very small, the risk of intermediate transmission can still occur. For this reason, in addition to increasing immunity with the fourth vaccination, he appealed to the public to raise awareness of wearing masks when doing activities in crowds, especially for groups that are at high risk, such as the elderly. Wearing masks, said Erlina, is one way to prevent the transmission of COVID-19. "Indeed, this situation is under control, but, it does not mean that the disease is no longer there, the risk of transmission also exists. Therefore, people who are at high risk are still advised to people like the elderly, people with comorbidities, or (who have) diseases related to immunity, to keep themselves in the crowd. Wear masks," Erlina explained. President Joko Widodo officially revoked the status of the COVID-19 pandemic so that Indonesia began to enter the COVID-19 endemic period on Wednesday (21/6). The decision, said President Jokowi, was taken by the government by considering the number of daily confirmed cases of COVID-19 which was close to nil.

President Jokowi also said that the survey results showed that 99 percent of Indonesians already have COVID-19 antibodies.