PPKM Continues, DPR: The Government Should Not Be Heedless In Detecting The Spread Of The New Variant Of COVID-19
JAKARTA - The government has again extended the implementation of Levels 2-4 Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM) in Java Bali until September 20, 2021. PPKM in Bali Province has now been lowered from level 4 to level 3.
Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Panjaitan, claimed that there was a very significant improvement from the implementation of PPKM in Java and Bali. This can be seen from the positive cases of COVID-19 which fell by 96 percent.
In response to this, Member of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) PKS Faction, Mulyanto, asked the Government to remain vigilant against the spread of the new variant of COVID-19. According to him, the government should not be careless and take lightly the emergence of new variants such as the Mu variant, so that there is no spike in cases such as the Delta variant.
"We don't want to repeat mistakes such as the delta variant spread, which was taken lightly and conceded. As a result, many victims fell and the state budget was absorbed", said Mulyanto to reporters, Tuesday, September 14.
This time, he continued, the government must be more serious in anticipating the possibility of the entry and spread of the new variant. "Don't let the people become victims again", said Mulyanto.
Furthermore, the member of Commission VII of the DPR RI assessed that the Government needs to immediately conduct careful research on the characteristics of the new variant of COVID-19 so that preventive action scenarios can be identified and made. Mainly, prevention at the entrances of international airports.
"Don't be late or pass undetected", he said.
In addition, Mulyanto said, the government must also assign the Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology (LBM) and its laboratory network to conduct research to detect the pattern of the spread of this new variant of COVID-19.
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"So far, the whole genome sequencing (WGS) laboratory network has been able to detect the spread of the COVID-19 variant that already exists in Indonesia," said Mulyanto.
Previously, Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin stated that until now, new variants of COVID-19 such as Lamda, Mu, and C.1.2 have not been found in Indonesia. He said the three new variants of the virus had spread in 9 countries. Therefore, the Government continues to research and monitor its distribution so that it does not emerge Indonesia.
Budi said the government was strengthening the network of whole-genome sequencing (WGS) testing laboratories or special tests to monitor virus mutations. He said the acceleration of increasing the number of laboratories was useful in order to more quickly identify new variants in Indonesia.
"Currently there are 21 laboratory networks that can carry out more sophisticated WGS tests. He noted that since January-August 2021, his party has tested 6.161 WGS specimens", said Budi.