Boosters Still Needed Even Though COVID-19 Cases Are Sloping, Body Immunity Can Down

JAKARTA - The booster dose of COVID-19 vaccination is still needed in the midst of a sloping situation in various regions. So, don't delay getting a booster vaccine.

"In principle, we want to maintain antibody levels as optimally as possible in all residents, currently most of them already have immunity," said Professor of Microbiology at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia (FKUI) Prof Amin Soebandrio, Friday, October 7.

The results of a serological survey to measure people's antibodies against the risk of COVID-19 infection reported that 90 percent of the population in Indonesia had immunity from vaccination programs and natural immunity after exposure to the Corona Virus.

However, Amin warned that based on the results of research analysis, her immunity could decrease in the next few months. The Indonesian Ministry of Health predicts that community immunity is currently expected to decrease in early 2023.

"It's better to still need a booster, but it's balanced with the availability of the vaccine," he said as quoted by Antara.

The former head of the Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology (LBM) said the World Health Organization (WHO) also directed the importance of vaccination.

"WHO states that vaccination once or twice is better than not being vaccinated at all," he said.

Amin encouraged the public to immediately access vaccination services according to the schedule they received and not to choose vaccine brands.

"As much as possible, everyone can get vaccinated, so that the vaccine is chased, the first dose is at least close to 100 percent coverage," he said.

Reporting from the COVID-19 Vaccination Dashboard of the Indonesian Ministry of Health as of Thursday (6/10), the total recipients of dose 1 vaccination reached 204.67 million people (87.22 percent), dose 2 reached 171.29 million people (73 percent), dose 3 reached 63.95 million people (27.26 percent) of the total target of 234.66 million people.

While dose 4 for health workers 634,544 people (43.20 percent) out of a total target of around 4 million people.

Based on the analysis of the Indonesian Ministry of Health's Data and Information Center (Pusdatin) on the rate of COVID-19 cases in the last two weeks, it has decreased consistently from 2,298 to 1,692 cases.

The majority of regencies/cities in Indonesia experience a decline in cases or are in PPKM Level 1, but there are still five provinces with the highest increase in cases nationally, including West Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, East Nusa Tenggara, North Maluku, and the Bangka Belitung Islands.