JAKARTA - Epidemiologist and health expert from the University of Indonesia (UI), Pandu Riono, asked the government to set a high target for vaccination coverage at the national level. Unmitigated, Pandu asked the government not to hesitate to set a target of up to 100 percent, with the hope that no one in the community will be left behind in building immunity.
“For me, it is not necessary to aim for 70 percent, but 100 percent. So all residents must have immunity. Don't leave 30 percent behind," said in a virtual discussion, as reported by Antara, Saturday, March 12.
Pandu thinks that while the government still has the ability to pursue a target that is much higher than the 70 percent figure as planned, it must be done as much as possible. And in Pandu's assessment, realizing the target of vaccination coverage in the community to 100 percent is not impossible for the government.
"If you only target 70 percent, there will still be 30 percent of the people left behind. Because if you look at the survey results in November and December 2021, the immunity level of the Indonesian population is already high," said Pandu.
He explained that 90 percent of the average population already has immunity and the areas of Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi (Jabodetabek) are the areas that have the highest immunity. This immunity can be formed as a result of vaccination or in combination with being infected.
Not to mention, according to Pandu, there are still around 15 percent of people who have never been infected and have not been vaccinated against COVID-19. That is, the group does not have weapons to protect the body and is dangerous if infected.
“There are still around 15 percent who have never been infected and have not been touched or vaccinated. It means that they are still naive or do not have weapons and this is what is dangerous," he said.
This condition can also place the elderly as well as chronic comorbid patients (comorbidities) into dangerous because it can cause death.
Although the severity of Omicron is not as severe as Delta, he stressed that vaccination coverage must continue to be increased and target all vaccination targets at all levels of society.
"If you want to solve the pandemic, the immunity of the population must be increased. If you can do it all, why should it be 70 percent? If the target must be as high and as fast as possible. If we want to be the first country in the world or in the Asian region to solve the pandemic, "said Pandu.
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