Control Of COVID-19 In The Community Is Said To Be Able To Prevent New Variants

JAKARTA - YARSI University Postgraduate Director Prof. Tjandra Yoga Aditama said controlling the transmission of COVID-19 in the community has a role to play in preventing the emergence of new variants in the future.

"If the transmission in the community is high as it is now, then the virus must replicate to continue to reproduce itself in this transmission," said Tjandra Yoga Aditama in a written statement received in Jakarta, reported by Antara, Tuesday, February 8.

When the virus replicates, said Tjandra, prolonged mutations can occur. This can potentially lead to new variants.

Tjandra, who is also the former Director of Infectious Diseases of WHO Southeast Asia, welcomed the imposition of Level 3 Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM) in several regions in Indonesia.

Such social restrictions, said Tjandra, are needed to suppress the number of transmissions in the community, which continues to increase until now.

"This (PPKM) is really needed because there is a potential danger with the high transmission of COVID-19 in the community," he said.

In addition to virus mutations, said Tjandra, the increase in patients with moderate and severe symptoms has the potential to burden health services at hospitals.

"Moreover, it was reported two days ago that many health workers have contracted COVID-19," he said.

The situation illustrates that transmission in the community must be suppressed so that the number of moderate and severe cases can also be controlled so that hospital services can also be more optimal, Tjandra added.

The next risk is the case of death. "Some time ago the Director-General of WHO Dr. Tedros clearly stated that more transmission of COVID-19 means more deaths," he said.

As of Monday, February 8, 82 Indonesians were reported to have died from COVID-19. That number increased more than 15 times in a month. "Since January 7, 2022, where we are saddened because five of our citizens died at that time," he said.

For this reason, Tjandra supports efforts to control the transmission of COVID-19 in the community as an important effort to suppress severe cases that can cause death.