Griffith University Epidemiologist Asks The Public Not To Underestimate The Symptoms Caused By COVID-19

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JAKARTA - Australia's Griffith University Epidemiologist Dicky Budiman asked the public not to equate and underestimate the symptoms caused by COVID-19 with symptoms of the common cold.

“I, as a doctor, have also been in the HIV/AIDS program. The symptoms are the same as COVID at the beginning. But is it the flu? It's not. Same, COVID is not the flu and COVID-19 will never be like the flu," said Dicky as quoted from Antara, Sunday, February 6.

In terms of transmission, Dicky confirmed that most of the symptoms of COVID-19 are similar to the common cold, namely coughs, colds, and even fever.

However, there is a difference in which patients who are positively infected experience olfactory disturbances even though in Omicron this is not so common. In fact, it has a very fast transmission so that COVID-19 will never become like the flu in general.

“The flu-like symptoms do exist. But it's not the flu. It is necessary to know that all these severe viral diseases, such as the flu, have a flu-like illness called flu," he said.

Dicky emphasized that whatever variant there is in COVID-19, it cannot be transmitted by itself, other than being transmitted from an infected person. If people ignore and do not limit themselves, then social interaction becomes uncontrollable and risks increasing the number of people exposed in the country.

Because COVID 19, he said, could have a long-term impact that could affect the quality of Indonesian public health to decline. If it continues, the pandemic will become a burden on the country's economy because of the potential for long COVID-19.

As a result, many activities in society have had to be stopped, opening up opportunities for new variants that may have a more virulent nature to reappear and increase the number of people who died.

Dicky also added that the presence of people with mild to asymptomatic symptoms could not happen not because of the weakening of COVID-19, but because of vaccinations that had been extended to other areas in Indonesia.

Especially with the provision of a booster vaccine that can reduce the potential severity of seven times lower than people who have not been vaccinated.

However, all parties cannot just rely on vaccination alone. Efforts to protect oneself through the implementation of health protocols must also be further strengthened so that the number of infected people can be suppressed.

The health protocol discipline can be carried out through wearing a mask, washing hands with soap under running water, and maintaining a distance of one to two meters from each other. The public is also advised to stay away from crowds and reduce unnecessary mobility.

Dicky also emphasized that the public must get used to understanding conditions not only through social media, but also through information sourced from experts and based on science.

It is hoped that the public will not be influenced by conspiracy theories or hoaxes that cannot be justified.

“The method is still the same in every country, so it must be strengthened. Don't think of Omicron as an attempt to immunize. That's misguided and dangerous. It is unethical and must be straightened out,” said Dicky.