Understanding And Terms For Herd Immunity Indonesia Formation

ILUSTRASI COVID-19 (UNSPLASH)

YOGYAKARTA One way to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic is to create herd immunity. This step was also taken by several countries, including Indonesia. The government is intensifying vaccines to achieve Indonesia's herd immunity. However, this step has sparked debate.

Herd immunity is a concept used by epidemiology applied to treat the spread of infectious diseases to slow its transmission as the population is immune to the disease.

Quoted from emerging.kemkes.go.id infection, it occurs when most of the population has been immune to certain infectious diseases so as to provide indirect protection or group immunity for those vulnerable to the disease.

For example, when 80% of the population has immunity to a virus, four out of five people with great potential become carriers of the virus will not get sick and will not transmit the virus more widely.

In this way, the spread of the virus is under control. The percentage of populations that are immune to an infection depends on how big the transmission of the virus is. Usually 70% to 90% of the population needs immunity to achieve group immunity.

One way of exterm implementing herd immunity to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic was by the Swedish government. Around mid-2020, the local government decided not to lock down. Whereas several other European countries such as the Netherlands and Germany imposed strict restrictions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Sweden had implemented a way of stopping the COVID-19 virus by allowing the virus to spread slowly but with good control so as not to burden health services. This prevented the local government from implementing lockdowns or closing schools for children under 16. They only emphasized social distancing rather than wearing masks.

The Swedish authorities also stressed preventive activities such as washing hands, working from home (WFH), and asking COV-19 symptomatic patients to stay at home.

Although Sweden implemented several policies that support the goal of achieving herd immunity, many experts are actually debating this. COV-19 casualties continue to fall even on par with the death toll in Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Iceland. In fact, the four countries implemented stricter handling steps.

On the other hand, many European countries have also imposed lockdowns such as France, Italy, Spain, and the UK but their fate is even worse than Sweden. This later became a debate among experts.

According to the third serological survey, the achievement of the immune system or herd immunity or antibody for people in Indonesia has now reached 98.5%. However, Dr. Ede Surya Darmawan, SKM,M.DM from the Faculty of Public Health, University of Indonesia, believes that the condition of the COV-19 pandemic in Indonesia is not yet confirmed safe because the virus continues to mutate. He also appealed to the public to immediately carry out a booster vaccine or a third dose of vaccine.

"This is important for boosters, antibodies are not permanent, a decrease of roughly six months, which requires a booster," said Dr. Ede Surya in the talk show "Measuring the Relevance of Health Protocols" on the BNPB Indonesia YouTube channel, quoted Wednesday, September 28.

He also explained that the achievement of herd immunity must be at 80% of the total in Indonesia. However, he said that the possibility of herd immunity had not yet been formed in the community.

"This herd immunity level is in the country, yes, while at the community level it may not be formed. So immediately vaccinate, the second one also maintains progress. Thus, all levels of herd immunity in society have reached 80% of the target population.

That's information related to Indonesia's herd immunity. To get other interesting information, visit VOI.ID.