Despite Easing, Minister Of Health Makes Sure The Government Stays Careful And Monitors Variants Of COVID-19

Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin/DOK ANTARA

JAKARTA - Minister of Health (Menkes) Budi Gunadi Sadikin ensured that the government will continue to monitor the new COVID-19 variant which continues to develop despite several easings.

He conveyed this after attending a limited meeting regarding the evaluation of the implementation of restrictions on community activities (PPKM) with President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) today.

Budi said the monitoring of the COVID-19 variant that occurred in several countries was carried out as a form of caution. This is because the emergence of viral mutations often causes an increase in cases in the country.

"The government remains cautious because the government realizes that high spikes in cases always occur with new variants. So we always monitor the new variants," said Minister of Health Budi in a press conference broadcast on the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube, Monday, April 4.

One of the viral mutations that has been in the spotlight is Omicron BA.2, which has caused an increase in cases in European countries and China.

The Minister of Health said that this variant has actually entered the country. In fact, it has become a dominant virus in society.

However, unlike conditions in Europe and China, people in Indonesia are more immune. Thus, this Omicron BA.2 variant did not cause a spike in cases.

"We are lucky with the condition of the Indonesian people's immunity which is quite high so that this new variant does not cause a spike in cases in Indonesia," he said.

"Based on these conditions, the government feels confident that we can carry out activities more freely," added Budi.

This freedom, he said, had been announced by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), namely by allowing people to pray Tarawih in mosques during the month of Ramadan and return to their hometowns. However, all these measures of freedom must still be carried out with caution.

To return to their hometown, Budi reminded the public to immediately get three doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Because those who have been injected with a booster no longer need to do a COVID-19 test.

Meanwhile, for the new one-time vaccine, it still has to be tested with a swab using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. "Twice, they still need an antigen test," said Budi.

"So the government remains cautious. We are still allowed to fast and also go home but we must complete the vaccination dose," he concluded.