Almost All Residents Have High Antibodies, This Observer Says Indonesia Will Leave The Pandemic Emergency Phase

Photo by JC Gellidon on Unsplash

JAKARTA - Epidemiologist from the Faculty of Public Health, University of Indonesia (FKM-UI), Iwan Ariawan, predicts that Indonesia is ready to leave the emergency phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia is getting more and more under control. Almost all residents already have SARS-COV-2 antibodies with high levels", said Iwan Ariawan in Jakarta, Friday, September 23.

Based on a report from the Indonesian Ministry of Health, the number of daily COVID-19 cases in Indonesia showed a downward trend in the last two weeks.

The daily case fluctuations are at an average of 2,000 additional cases with the average death rate reaching 18 people or decreasing from the previous 20 deaths.

Iwan said community transmission and COVID-19 response capacity until September 21, 2022, also showed controlled indicators.

Incidents in Indonesia range from 5.56 per 100,000 inhabitants per week or are indicators of community transmission level 1.

Hospitalization incidents reached 0.79 per 100,000 inhabitants per week or were in community transmission level 1. Even at 0.04 per 100,000 inhabitants per week at level 1.

Meanwhile, the positivity rate indicator based on testing reaches 7.16 percent per week or is still above the World Health Organization (WHO) standard of a maximum of 5 percent of the total population.

The tracing indicator is in an adequate response capacity with a close contact ratio of 11.36 percent per week or at a moderate level. The treatment indicator reaches an average of 5.26 percent per week.

Iwan said the complete vaccine coverage in Indonesia had reached an adequate level of a total of 72.74 percent. In the elderly, complete vaccine recipients reached 68.87 percent.

The proportion of residents who have SARS-COV-2 antibodies as of December 2021 reached 87.8 percent, and in July 2022 increased to 98.5 percent.

"But that doesn't mean those who have been vaccinated cannot be infected with COVID-19, but reduce the severity and risk of dying from COVID-19", he said.

Based on the results of the analysis of 1,792,360 COVID-19 cases in Indonesia from January 1 - until June 30, 2022, said Iwan, it shows that 2.8 percent of people who have never received a COVID-19 vaccine are at a greater risk of dying 28 times than people who have received a booster vaccine.

Sebanyak 1,5 persen orang yang mendapatkan sekali suntikan vaksin COVID-19 berisiko meninggal 15 kali lebih besar dibandingkan orang yang sudah mendapatkan vaksin booster COVID-19.

As many as 0.6 percent of people who received the full dose of the COVID-19 vaccine were at risk of dying six times greater than people who had received the COVID-19 booster vaccine.

"0.1 percent is the lowest risk of dying in people who have received booster vaccines", he said.

According to Iwan, vaccinations, especially boosters greatly reduce the risk of dying in people infected with COVID-19. "It is necessary to accelerate vaccination coverage, especially boosters", he said.

Iwan added that Indonesia is ready to leave the COVID-19 pandemic emergency phase by keeping the population's immune level high.

"Reducing the risk of infection with health procedures and the use of the PeduliLindungi application in public spaces as well as improving the quality of COVID-19 surveillance", he said.