The COVID-19 Endemic Is In Sight, Indonesian Community Immunity Is Almost 100 Percent

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) announced the results of the SARS CoV-2 Serology Survey which stated that people's immunity to face COVID-19 is almost 100 percent currently. This activity is carried out to measure community immunity against the virus.

"From the results of the survey series in January 2023, we see the main thing, namely that the proportion of people who have SARS CoV-2 immunity has increased to 99 percent," said Head of the Health Development Policy Agency of the Ministry of Health, Liza Munira, quoted from the Ministry of Health website, Saturday, February 4.

Liza said, this percentage increased because in July 2022 the number was around 98.5 percent. "So it's still high," he said.

Even though people's immunity is almost perfect, Liza still reminds the importance of vaccination. Moreover, the survey noted that the highest immunity was achieved for those who had been fully injected with the COVID-19 vaccine.

"So it is important to complete vaccination. Although the results of this survey show that the immunity condition of the Indonesian population is good, we still need to emphasize and complete our vaccination status," he said.

This survey was conducted in collaboration with the Faculty of Public Health, University of Indonesia. This is the third time this activity has been carried out.

The number of respondents who took part in this survey reached 16,266 people from 34 provinces and 99 regencies/cities. The selected respondents were the same as those whose samples were taken in the period July 2022 and December 2021.

The similarity of these respondents was intended to see changes in antibody levels from December 2021 to January 2023. The way, they were taken blood samples and examined.

Regarding this survey, FKM UI epidemiologist Iwan Ariawan said this increase in immunity was due to the wide coverage of vaccines and the large number of COVID-19 transmissions. Usually, the higher the age of a person, the higher the level of immunity.

Meanwhile, FKM UI epidemiologist Pandu Riono said this serological survey had an actual important role. One of them, as the basis for decision making by the community.

Even so, Pandu reminded that this good result survey should not be complacent. Vaccination must still be encouraged so that immunity can be achieved by the community because COVID-19 can continue to mutate.

"We encourage all residents even though they already have antibodies to be increased again, driven for vaccinations that have not been vaccinated, and boosters that have not carried out boosters because the virus is still there and is still mutating," he concluded.