Indonesia Can Finally Take Off Outdoor Masks After Three Months Other Countries Have Done

JAKARTA - Yesterday, President Joko Widodo announced that people are no longer required to wear masks when doing outdoor activities.

However, for activities in closed spaces and public transportation, the government still requires people to wear masks.

Then, for groups of people who are categorized as vulnerable to the elderly, or have comorbid diseases, Jokowi still advises them to continue to use masks when doing activities.

Likewise for people who experience symptoms of coughs and colds, they still have to wear masks when doing activities.

The government's decision to go free of masks was made after holding back from immediately relaxing activity restrictions, when other countries had started doing so three months ago.

The United States has started to allow the removal of masks outdoors since February 25, the UK since April 1, Singapore since April 22, Italy since May 1, and Germany since May 7.

Looking back, several months ago, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Menkomarves) Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said the government did not want to follow other countries' policies that were too relaxed about the pandemic.

According to Luhut, the tightening policy due to COVID-19 in Indonesia is more conservative than other countries which have eliminated the obligation to use masks for their citizens.

"Compared to several countries that have not imposed restrictions and even do not require the use of masks, our approach is much more conservative," Luhut said in a virtual press conference, Monday, February 14.

Luhut said this was intended to maintain the health system and minimize the occurrence of deaths. "Because in our opinion, losing one life is very valuable," said Luhut.

Now, Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin explained the government's reason for allowing the public to remove masks outside. According to Budi, currently the number of people who have community antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) is currently very high.

Before the Lebaran season, the government conducted a sero survey of the antibodies of the people in Java and Bali. As a result, there is an increase in the number of people who already have antibodies from December 2021 by 93 percent to 99.2 percent in March 2022.

"It turned out to be an increase from 93 percent to 99.2 percent. This is due to a combination once again due to the acceleration of vaccination, but also the transmission of Omicron which is much higher than Delta. So, many of our people are infected and have antibodies that come from infection," Budi said in a virtual press conference, Tuesday, May 17.

In addition, Budi said that it is not only the population that has more antibodies at this time, but also the antibody titer or antibody levels are much higher.

In December 2021, the average community antibody levels are in the hundreds. Then, in March, his antibody levels rose to 7,000 to 8,000.

"This proves that our society, apart from having more antibodies, also has higher antibody levels or antibody titers," said Budi.

What's more, many Indonesians who have been vaccinated are now exposed to Omicron. Research around the world shows that the combination of vaccination plus infection forms what in scientific circles is called super immunity.

"So, people who have been vaccinated are then affected, besides protecting the person concerned from being admitted to the hospital, but also building super immunity," he added.