COVID-19 In Europe Rises Again After Mask-Free Policy, Luhut: Government Is More Cautious

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Panjaitan (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan revealed that a number of countries in Europe are starting to experience an increase in COVID-19 cases.

This increase in cases occurred when the country began to relax health protocols such as waiving the obligation to use masks.

At the same time, there was the spread of COVID-19, the Omicron subvariant BA.2 variant. This variant is dubbed the stealth Omicron in the country.

"There has been an increase in cases in several European countries. This happened after these countries again relaxed their health protocol policies and the distribution of the Omicron BA.2 subvariant," Luhut said in a virtual press conference, Monday, March 14.

Therefore, Luhut said the government would be more careful in making policies to handle the pandemic, along with the transition plan from pandemic to endemic.

"In the future, of course, the government will take more careful policies. The implementation of health protocols, especially the use of masks, we must continue to do," he said. complete or a third dose or a booster that is already high.

This policy, said Luhut, has been carried out by several countries such as Saudi Arabia and Malaysia.

"The main consideration is the level of complete and booster vaccinations which are already high in both countries. Compared to those two countries (Saudi Arabia and Malaysia), our achievement of complete and booster doses of vaccination is still lagging behind.

"Therefore, the government will pursue the achievement of complete and booster doses of vaccination. I ask people who can already do a booster to immediately do a booster without the need to choose the type of vaccine. All types of vaccines have been proven effective in providing antibodies against COVID-19," he explained.