Revealing Sero Survey Results, Minister Of Health Budi Gunadi: 99.2 Percent Of Indonesians Already Have COVID-19 Antibodies

Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin/Antara

JAKARTA - Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin revealed that 99.2 percent of the people in the country already have immunity or antibodies against COVID-19.

This data is based on the results of a sero survey conducted by the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) in collaboration with the Faculty of Public Health from the University of Indonesia in March this year.

"99.2 percent of the Indonesian population already has antibodies at least from vaccinations or from infections," said Budi at a press conference after a limited meeting (ratas) with President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and other line ministries that was broadcast on YouTube, the Presidential Secretariat, Monday, April 18th.

The number of people who now have antibodies has increased compared to December 2021. At that time, said Budi, the number of people who had new antibodies was around 88.6 percent.

This increase has prompted the government to make easing, including allowing Lebaran homecoming on this year's Eid al-Fitr. In fact, in the previous two years, this activity was prohibited because human movement during long holidays often resulted in massive additions of COVID-19 cases.

"Before Eid begins, we conduct a second sero survey so that the policies the government takes in dealing with Eid have a research basis," said the former Deputy Minister of SOEs. If in December 2021, antibody titers in the public's body range from 500-600, then in the second sero survey in March this year it has reached over five thousand.

"In March, the titer is in the thousands, 7,000-8,000. This shows that not only many people have antibodies, their antibody levels are also high," he said.

"So that if we are attacked by a virus, our immune system can quickly deal with it and reduce the risk of being admitted to the hospital or the risk of dying. That is why we believe, God willing, this Ramadan, going home this time will be smooth without a negative impact on our society," he concluded.