Despite COVID-19, Immunization Of Children Must Remain The Attention Of Parents

Immunization illustration (kfuhlert / Pixabay)

JAKARTA - Even though the outbreak of COVID-19 is happening in Indonesia, immunization of children must be a concern for parents. The goal, so that children do not get other diseases.

According to the Head of Public Relations and Welfare of Indonesian Pediatrician Association Central Board Members, Hartono Gunardi, the delay in giving immunizations to children risks creating new outbreaks in the community. For example, an outbreak of measles.

"Many parents are afraid to take their children to the puskesmas or posyandu (during the early days of COVID-19). This will have a very high risk of causing a double outbreak," Hartono said in the talk show 'The Importance of Child Immunization During the COVID-19 Pandemic' which was broadcast on a YouTube account. BNPB, Monday, June 8.

He explained that one person exposed to measles can pass it on to 18 other people. So, this has the potential to cause a new outbreak in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak and it is necessary to immunize children.

Apart from measles, there is diphtheria which can occur because parents do not immunize their children. According to him, this disease is quite dangerous if it affects children.

Hartono said that diphtheria does have an antiserum. However, the antiserum was not produced in Indonesia and had to be imported. To get this antiserum is also not easy. This is because most of the serum manufacturers have closed down because their businesses are not selling well.

"Most of the factories that manufacture antidyphtheria serum have closed because this disease is no longer in the country where the serum is made. So don't let our children catch diphtheria or measles. Do not let a double outbreak occur," said Hartono.

"Take it to the posyandu, take it to the health center to complete the immunization," he said.

When there is a delay in immunization due to the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB), Hartono said, parents can complete it. "For example, his child is now nine months old. Yesterday he did not get the third diphtheria immunization. So all at once, nine months can get measles or MR immunization and diphtheria immunization earlier. So inject right and left," he explained.

Hartono said, parents do not need to worry about giving immunizations all at once. Because, this kind of thing has been done a lot to children since ancient times.

Director of Health Surveillance and Quarantine of the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) of the Republic of Indonesia Vensya Sitohang also reminded parents to continue to immunize their children even though the outbreak of COVID-19 occurred.

Given that, based on the results of their survey, compared to immunization in April 2019, this year the number of children receiving immunizations has decreased significantly, reaching 4.7 percent. "In April 2020 there is a significant decrease in the difference in complete immunity coverage. So this is very serious," said Vensyah.

She understands that parents may be afraid to take their children to health facilities to get immunizations. However, according to Vensyah, going to health facilities and immunizing children does not need to be a problem.

This is because the Ministry of Health has issued a policy through circular letters to provinces, districts / cities and health facilities which states that the implementation of immunization should not be postponed.

He also stated that parents need not worry because this immunization service runs according to the prevailing health protocol. "Health workers must use personal protective equipment such as gloves, surgical masks, and keep their distance," he said.

In addition, the circular also requested that health facilities such as health centers separate between healthy and sick patients. However, the successful implementation of this health protocol must be supported by the community, especially parents.

So, when they come to health facilities to accompany their children, they must still wear masks and keep their distance from other patients. "This immunization service must continue with established health protocols," concluded Vensyah.