Easing Travel Requirements, Epidemiologist: Society Must Keep Strengthening Health Protocol

PURWOKERTO - Field epidemiologist from Jenderal Sudirman University (Unsoed) dr. Yudhi Wibowo, reminded that easing travel requirements needs to be accompanied by strengthening health protocols.

"The public still has to strengthen health protocol, especially wearing masks, when traveling," he said in Purwokerto, Banyumas Regency, Central Java, as reported by Antara, Sunday, March 13.

He also reminded that the waiver of negative PCR and antigen test results applies to domestic travelers who have received a complete dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

"Thus, those who have not been vaccinated are expected to immediately register for the COVID-19 vaccination," he said.

The lecturer at the Unsoed Medical Faculty also reminded that socialization regarding health protocols and COVID-19 vaccinations must continue to be strengthened in order to increase public awareness and understanding.

"Thus, the public will remain disciplined and not be euphoric, besides that it is also hoped that they will not ignore health protocols," he said.

Yudhi also reminded that strengthening health protocols is indeed needed as one of the keys to getting to the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"To get to the end of the epidemic, clear procedures and strict rules must be prepared regarding how the community should behave in dealing with COVID-19. Later, relaxation can be carried out gradually," he said.

Most importantly, he said, at this time the community must play an active role in supporting the government in efforts to accelerate the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The community also needs to continue to strengthen the discipline of health protocols and must support the acceleration of the COVID-19 vaccination program because it is one of the keys to endemic," he said.

Meanwhile, a lecturer at the Department of Emergency Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jenderal Soedirman Arif Imam University Hidayat also invited the public to always strengthen health protocols.

Arif explained that the course of handling a disease outbreak until it is decided to become endemic is usually carried out when the average number of transmissions tends to remain constant.

"This means that it will not decrease or increase much. To control the number of transmissions, of course, it is necessary to support strengthening health protocols and increasing vaccination coverage," he said.