Task Force Participates In Analysis Of New COVID-19 Variants Emerging In The UK

JAKARTA - Spokesperson for the Task Force for Handling COVID-19 Wiku Adisasmito said that his party was analyzing a new variant of COVID-19 found in the UK.

"The government continues to follow the development of the COVID-19 variant that is currently appearing in the UK, this new COVID-19 variant will be studied and analyzed for its genetic sequence to determine the steps the government will take based on scientific evidence," Wiku said in a YouTube broadcast of the Presidential Secretariat, Tuesday, December 22.

Wiku said, the government will continue to strengthen the steps to trace the transmission of the corona virus or surveillance by monitoring the development of this very dynamic virus.

Regardless of the development of the latest COVID-19 variant that has emerged in the UK, the government asks the public to discipline the public to comply with 3M health protocols in their activities.

"Health protocol is an important and easy prevention effort, so that we can protect ourselves and people affected by COVID-19," he said.

In addition, Wiku asked local governments to intensify 3T, so that early detection can be carried out in the community and close contact with positive cases can immediately get good and standard treatment to increase the chances of a cure.

For information, the British government stated that their country had discovered a new variant of COVID-19. The new variant of the coronavirus in Britain was first detected in September. As of November, about a quarter of the COVID-19 cases in London came from a new variant of the coronavirus. This number reached nearly two-thirds of cases in mid-December.

British Prime Minister (PM) Boris Johnson, who just announced he would relax restrictions over Christmas, suddenly changed course. He slammed on the brakes. The discovery of a new variant of the corona virus that causes COVID-19 led the UK to impose Level 4 restrictions, similar to a keystone.

It is estimated, this variant has attacked many patients in the UK or in countries with a lower ability to monitor the mutation of the corona virus. This variant can be found throughout England, except Northern Ireland, but is highly concentrated in London, Southeast England and East England.

Data from Nextstrain, which monitors the genetic code of virus samples around the world, shows the cases in Denmark and Australia came from the UK. The Netherlands has also reported cases of COVID-19 from a new variant.

WHO Emergency Chief Mike Ryan said the presence of a new variant of COVID-19 emerging in the UK was a normal part of the virus mutation.

The WHO official also revealed that the new variant of COVID-19 could indeed spread easily. Even so, based on data held by the British government, the new variant of COVID-19 does not have a deadly trace.

WHO also gave appreciation to the country which then imposed travel restrictions in the UK and South Africa. The efforts made are positive steps.

"We have to find a balance. It is very important to have transparency, it is very important to tell the public what it is, but it is also important to convey that this is a normal part of the evolution of the virus, "said WHO's chief of emergency, Mike Ryan, quoted by Reuters, Tuesday, December 22.

"Being able to track the virus this closely, with care, scientifically in real time is a real positive development for global public health, and a country undertaking this type of surveillance is to be commended," he added.