Government Plans To Evaluate Regulations On Masks Impacts The Discovery Of Omicron BA.4 And BA.5 Cases In Bali

A mural depicting a resident of the health care program wearing a mask on a wall in the Jalan Wonokromo area, Surabaya, on March 2020. (Antara-Moch A)

JAKARTA - Spokesperson for the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) Mohammad Syahril revealed that the easing of wearing masks outdoors will be evaluated if there is an increase in cases of the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants in Indonesia.

"Of course we don't want another spike in cases. Prokes is our obligation, also for those who are sick and have comorbidities, they are required to wear masks," said Syahril at a press conference on Friday, June 10.

He asked the public to remain disciplined in implementing strict health protocols along with the emergence of the new Omicron subvariant.

He said that in Indonesia there were four patients exposed to the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants.

Syahril said that the patient was one Indonesian citizen exposed to the BA.4 subvariance and three foreigners who were exposed to the BA.5 subvariance. The foreigner is a delegate from the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR) in Bali.

He conveyed the clinical condition of the patients exposed to the new Omicron subvariance, namely three asymptomatic patients and one foreign patient experiencing mild symptoms, namely sore throat and body aches.

Although the transmission of the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants is faster, based on the Antara report, Syahril said there was no indication that the severity was higher than the previous Omicron subvariant. "So there is no need to panic, symptoms are mild and we can self-isolate," he added.

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However, he cautioned, the two subvariants have a decreased ability to treat monoclonal antibodies and are able to avoid or escape the immunity that already exists in a person either from vaccination or natural immunity. Therefore, he continued, the discipline of health protocols must still be carried out considering that the four patients had received complete doses of vaccination.

"On average they have been vaccinated, some have even been vaccinated four times," he said.