1,153 COVID-19 Patients Died Not yet Booster, Government Reminds the Importance of Health Self Control

COVID-19 antigen rapid test at the NTB Health and Calibration Laboratory Center in Mataram, NTB, Tuesday 22 December 2020.(ANTARA-Ahmad Subaidi)

JAKARTA - The government asks the public to continue to apply the discipline of health protocols as long as COVID-19 is still mutating. Including strengthening self-control or self-control of the importance of maintaining health.

"If anyone has symptoms of cough, or runny nose, especially if you have a high fever, immediately do self-control. Practice self-control because there is a high risk around us due to COVID-19", said Government Spokesperson for Handling COVID-19 Reisa Broto Asmoro in a written statement, Monday, November 14.

Because based on research, said Reisa, as many as 1,373 COVID-19 patients died, it turned out that 84 percent of them had not done a booster. That means as many as 1,153 patients who died had not received booster doses of vaccination.

The data compiled based on research conducted by the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) from October 4-8 November 2022 also explained that 10,639 patients with moderate, severe to critical symptoms, as many as 74 percent had not continued vaccination until the booster dose.

Reisa said that one of the general forms of self-control is to establish a disease diagnosis, through a COVID-19 examination test, either PCR or antigen.

It aims to know for sure the disease suffered by a person.

It is hoped that the COVID-19 examination test will be carried out soon, even if someone only feels mild symptoms such as cough, runny nose, and fever. Because it is better to be aware of the potential for transmission than to be indifferent because of mild or asymptomatic symptoms.

The second thing that must be considered in self-control, namely knowing the management of healing. Where the management is carried out to minimize the risk of transmission to people around one them by immediately getting a booster and not leaving the house if they feel unwell.

“This complete vaccination has been proven to even protect our bodies and reduce the risk of deterioration or death. But remember that over time, our antibodies will decrease, so these antibodies need a booster so that the number increases again and we have optimal protection", said the Ambassador for the Adaptation of New Habits.

Reisa emphasized that the booster vaccination coverage must continue to be increased to protect groups of people who have not been able to participate in or receive the COVID-19 vaccination, such as the elderly with comorbidities, children under the age of six, or pregnant women.

"If we look at this data, we should be more aware that it seems that self-protection and booster vaccination must be equipped with health protocols", he said.