IDI Asks The Government To Be Wary Of Your Variant: Don't Be Fooled Again, We Are Already Battered By The Delta Variant

BANDARLAMPUNG - The Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI) Bandarlampung Branch asked the government not to be fooled by the presence of the Mu variant of COVID-19.

"We really hope that the government must take care of it properly, so that we don't miss out again, we were already battered by the Delta variant yesterday," said Head of IDI Bandarlampung Branch, Dr Aditya M Biomed, quoted by Antara, Sunday, September 12.

According to him, there is nothing wrong with being aware of the Mu variant early. Because the information he got for the Mu variant has arrived in Hong Kong, which means it is quite close to Indonesia.

"I am happy to hear the news of the zone change and the current decline in the PPKM level, but I also warn to be vigilant and always maintain health protocols," he said.

Aditya also emphasized that areas already in the yellow zone should not be ignored because the COVID-19 pandemic is not over, even though the results of the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test at the Lampung Province Health Laboratory are decreasing.

"Nowadays fewer and fewer samples are being tested, sometimes 100 and a maximum of 200, yesterday it could be 400, even the peak could be up to 1,000 a day," he said.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Association of Indonesian Epidemiologists (PAEI) Lampung Branch, Ismen Mukhtar, reminded all parties that the easing of community activities in the middle of level three PPKM does not involve ignoring 3M (washing hands, wearing masks and maintaining distance).

"For the government, 3T, namely testing, tracing and treatment, must still be carried out," he said.

According to him, although the PPKM zones and levels have dropped, the handling of COVID-19 cases must be strengthened so that cases can be suppressed and can go to the green zone.

Then, regarding the Mu variant of the COVID-19 virus, he explained that the mode of transmission of this virus remains the same through the nose and mouth, so the use of masks should not be ignored to suppress the spread of the virus.

"Don't let the virus enter our bodies. Because once he enters, the possibility of the virus to mutate is even greater, so the procedures must be tightened," he said.