Luhut: Peak Omicron Cases In Indonesia Estimated Early February

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut BInsar Pandjaitan/ANTARA PHOTOS

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan estimates that the peak of the Omicron case will occur in early February.

This is based on observations of the experience of other countries, where the Omicron variant reaches its peak in the range of 40 days, faster than the Delta variant.

"In the case of Indonesia, we estimate the peak of the wave because the Omicron will occur in early February," Luhut said in a video statement quoted by Antara, Tuesday, January 11.

However, most of the cases that occur are expected to have mild symptoms, so the government has prepared a different strategy by handling the Delta variant.

The Deputy Chair of the Committee for Handling COVID-19 and National Economic Recovery (KPC PEN) said that currently Omicron has been identified in 150 countries and has created a new wave with higher peaks in various countries around the world.

Indonesia, he continued, is not impossible to experience the same thing.

"But we don't need to panic, but we remain vigilant. Because of our experience in dealing with the Delta variant yesterday," he said.

Luhut, who is also the Coordinator of the Java-Bali PPKM, emphasized that the current condition of Indonesia is much more prepared to face the potential wave of the Omicron variant.

This readiness is supported by already higher vaccination rates, much higher testing and tracking capacity, and a much better prepared health system in terms of medicines, hospital beds, health personnel, oxygen and centralized isolation facilities.

"Including Molnupiravir (covid-19 drug, ed.) from Merck which has been imported by the Minister of Health," he said.

With these various preparations and learning from past experiences, Luhut is optimistic that cases will not increase as high as other countries.

"But the condition is that we all must be disciplined. I repeat, we must all be disciplined, and we must all be united. Our success in controlling the Omicron variant is impossible to achieve without the cooperation of all parties, especially in implementing health protocols," he said.