Minister Of Health: Ahead Of Eid 2022, Public Antibodies Rise To 99.2 Percent

Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin after the PPKM Meeting at the Presidential Office 18 April. (ANTARA/Hreeloita DS)

JAKARTA - Minister of Health (Menkes) Budi Gunadi Sadikin revealed that the immune system or antibodies of the Indonesian people rose to 99.2 percent ahead of Eid 2022.

"It can be conveyed that the antibody levels of the Indonesian people rose to 99.2 percent. This means that 99.2 percent of the population already have antibodies. At least it comes from vaccinations or from infections," he said in a Ministerial Press Statement regarding the Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM) Results, Presidential Office, April 18, 2022, which was followed online in Jakarta, Monday, April 18.

He said, the increase in public antibodies was seen in the results of a sero survey conducted by the Ministry of Health with the Faculty of Public Health, University of Indonesia (UI), after in December 2021 the antibody levels reached 86.6 percent.

The second sero survey was conducted because the government wanted to measure the antibody levels of the community right before entering the Lebaran holiday and at the same time have the right research base to take any policies that will be implemented.

"Interestingly, we also measure the antibody levels. If in December we do a sero survey, the order is still in the hundreds, the antibody titer is 500-600. In March, the titer is in the thousands, seven thousand-eight thousand," he said.

He explained that the results of the sero survey also showed that many Indonesians already had antibodies, but also had high levels of antibodies.

Thus, the immune system in the body can fight the virus and reduce the risk of admission to the hospital and death.

Therefore, Budi admitted that the government is optimistic that this year's homecoming activities can run smoothly and will not have a negative impact on people who want to immediately meet their families in their hometowns.

However, in accordance with the directives of President Joko Widodo and Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy, he asked all parties to remain vigilant against the transmission of COVID-19 because there are still many large countries experiencing an increase in positive cases.

He hoped that everyone would remain disciplined in carrying out health protocols, especially using masks in all forms of social activity.

"There's a lot we don't know about this virus and some neighboring countries, big countries, such as China and Hong Kong, the cases are still rising high. If we take 600 daily cases, South Korea has hundreds of thousands of daily cases. So, according to the direction of the President, we must remain careful and vigilant, don't be arrogant and take it easy," he said.