IDI Mengingatkan Masyarakat, Vaksin COVID 19 Kepenting Akibat Penularan Virus Baru

JAKARTA - The head of the COVID-19 Task Force of the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI) Dr Erlina Burhan said that the protection of the COVID 19 vaccine is important for the community to maintain in the midst of an unpredictable virus circulation situation.

"The second booster vaccine remains important, considering the current condition of COVID 19 is unpredictable," said Erlina Burhan in Jakarta, Friday.

He appealed to the public to participate in the COVID 19 vaccination program so that the body's immunity can increase.

"Don't be careless when there is no more policy of the Implementation of Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM), because virus transmission is unpredictable," he said.

Erlina said vaccines are even more important when activities are getting higher.

He hopes that the public will find it easier so that interest in getting vaccinated can increase.

Erlina said, although the results of the Sero Survey stated that the immunity of Indonesians from COVID 19 was at 90 to 98 percent, it was not impossible that antibody levels decreased. Boosters remain important, considering that a person's antibodies can decrease over time.

"The purpose of vaccination is no longer to prevent infection, but to prevent the public from the severity due to COVID 19. Antibodies are natural because they are exposed to COVID 19 even though they are not obtained from vaccines, they will still decline, so we must not be euphoric and still need additional vaccines," he said.

Separately, Epidemiologist Tri Yunis Miko Wahyono said vaccines are given so that human immunity can be formed.

He reminded the public that the efficacy of vaccines could decrease. In addition, the efficacy rate of each vaccine is different.

"With the 50 to 60 percent efficacy vaccine, I think it is very small to prevent infection. So the high one prevents the severity from occurring up to 90 percent. That is the importance of the second or first booster vaccine for Indonesians," he said.