Luhut Says Death Of COVID-19 Cases Mostly Attack Elderly, Comorbid, And Unvaccinated

Luhut Panjaitan/Photo: Antara

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said that the poor condition of COVID-19 patients along with the spread of the Omicron variant mostly attacked three groups.

The group, said Luhut, is a group of the elderly, people with comorbidities, and has not been vaccinated against COVID-19. He said this in a press conference on the results of the PPKM evaluation.

"The majority of patients who were seriously treated, critically or deceased were the elderly, a group with severe comorbidities or had not been vaccinated. Of the 356 patients who died since the Omicron started, 42 percent had comorbidities, 44 percent were elderly and 69 percent had not been fully vaccinated," said Luhut, Monday, February 7th.

Therefore, the government will implement protective policies for vulnerable groups, especially the elderly who have not been fully vaccinated.

Luhut explained that President Joko Widodo asked the TNI Commander, National Police Chief, BIN Head and BKKBN Head to improve health service facilities in hospitals, including health workers, medicines and increase the number of beds converted for COVID-19.

Furthermore, Jokowi ordered to activate centralized isolation facilities to treat OTG patients and mild symptoms, so as not to burden hospitals.

Jokowi also encourages the provision of special lodging facilities for health workers, so that they do not catch Omicron when they are at home. If these health workers are exposed to Omicron, it can reduce the service of hospital facilities.

Furthermore, based on available data, the majority or 65 percent of COVID-19 patients treated in hospitals have mild and asymptomatic symptoms. To reduce hospital occupancy rates, Luhut asks COVID-19 patients without symptoms and mild symptoms to simply isolate independent or centralized.

"According to the President's direction, only moderate, severe and critical symptoms are admitted to the hospital and the rest are doing centralized isolation. The government will massively encourage the use of telemedicine for people who have mild symptoms," he explained.