House of Representatives Suspects First Case Of Omicron In Indonesia Entered Through Aviation

ILLUSTRATION DOC VOI/Wisma Athlete Kemayoran Jakarta

JAKARTA - Deputy Chairman of Commission IX of the House of Representatives, Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena, suspects the first case of the Omicron variant detected in a cleaning officer at Wisma Atlet entering Indonesia via flight.

"With the entry of Omicron into the country through the cleaning staff at the Wisma Atlet, it certainly gives a message that the most likely point of transmission is indeed through the entrance by air, in this case, those who have just returned from abroad. Maybe they have already carried the Omicron virus and Then it hit a janitor", Melki told reporters, Thursday, December 16.

However, the Golkar politician appreciated the government's openness, through the Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, regarding the discovery of Omicron in Indonesia. According to him, this announcement is important so that people continue to be vigilant in the midst of the dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We need to appreciate it because this openness is important so that all of our people remain vigilant, anticipatory, and disciplined in seeing the developments that occur", said Melki.

Furthermore, Melki asked the government through the Ministry of Health to tighten tracing in detecting the Omicron variant. On the one hand, the public is also advised to further tighten the application of health protocols.

"For all of us, citizens, so that after it was officially announced that Omicron is already in the country, we will tighten and discipline-related procedures, we must tighten and be disciplined in carrying out all of this. at the entrance for foreigners or Indonesian citizens who have just arrived, then testing and tracing must be expanded throughout the country", said Melki.

The legislator for the NTT constituency encouraged the government to continue to ensure that the handling of Omicron is under control, one of which is by increasing health facilities and drug supplies.

"Then we must make sure that the preparation for handling and treatment is now ready, both in hospitals and other facilities, the readiness of the drugs needed, facilities and infrastructure for handling COVID-19 must be well prepared", said Melki.

Melki also appealed to the public to work together to prevent Omicron from spreading in the country ahead of the Christmas holidays and the 2022 new year.

"We will soon have Christmas and New Year's holidays. We are preparing everything well so that people can work hand in hand to prevent the spread of Omicron in the country", said Melki.

"I believe that with the synergy of all of us, we can get through this Omicron well, succeeding like our experience yesterday, passing the Delta variant well", he concluded.