Health Protocols Should Not Be Ignored

KOMPAS/TATANG MULYANA SINAGA

Phase three clinical trial volunteers for the Covid-19 vaccine candidate produced by Sinovac, China, left the Padjadjaran University Teaching Hospital (RSP), Bandung City, West Java, Wednesday (26/8/2020).

BANDUNG, KOMPAS – The number of volunteers registered to take part in the phase III clinical trials for the production of a Covid-19 candidate vaccine has exceeded the initial target. Amid the hope of the finding of a vaccine for the disease, a number of volunteers have expressed concern that many people have openly ignored public health protocols.

As of Sunday (30/8/2020), the number of prospective volunteers to take part in the clinical trials had reached a total of 2,500 people. The number exceeds the required quota of 1,620 people. They come from various circles, starting from private employees, businesspeople, health workers, to government officials.

One of the volunteers, R (33), hopes that his participation in the clinical trials can help the research team find the Covid-19 vaccine so that the spread of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), which causes coronavirus disease 2019 ( COVID-19), can be overcome immediately.

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However, he is concerned about the lax application of health protocols in public places. In fact, to the best of his knowledge, in addition to efforts to find vaccines, community discipline is the key to suppressing Covid-19 transmission. No less important, public figures should become role models in the application of the health protocols.

"It is sad to see that many people still don’t wear masks and are crowding around. In fact, efforts to find vaccines and the discipline to apply health protocols must go hand-in-hand," he said.

In Bandung, it is not difficult to find individuals who are not wearing masks on the street or those who wear masks but not properly, and groups of people huddled together without keeping physical distance.

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KOMPAS/TATANG MULYANA SINAGA

A member of the research team for the Covid-19 vaccine clinical trial runs a series of health checks to screen a volunteer on Thursday (6/8/2020) at the School of Medicine, Padjadjaran University (Unpad) in the city of Bandung, West Java. The clinical trial of the candidate vaccine produced by Sinovac, China, began on Tuesday (11/8/2020) at six locations: the Unpad Education Hospital, the Unpad Health Center and four puskesmas (community health centers) in the city.

The clinical trials of the Sinovac vaccine are scheduled to take place over six months. If successful, the vaccine will be produced by PT Bio Farma in Bandung. While witnessing the injection of the candidate vaccine in some volunteers at the School of Medicine, Padjadjaran University (Unpad), Bandung on Tuesday (11/8), President Joko Widodo said the vaccine production was expected to start in January 2021.

While waiting for the vaccine to be found, people are asked to limit their activities outside the house and comply with health protocols to prevent transmission.

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"It hurts to see people not wearing masks, because it is not only detrimental to themselves but also those around them," said R.

HLM (45), another volunteer of the clinical trials, was also wary of the lax application of the health protocols. He hoped people would not underestimate the threat of Covid-19. "It can be understood that residents need to be active to move the economic wheels. However, don\'t forget to wear a mask, wash your hands, and keep physical distance," he said.

It hurts to see people not wearing masks, because it is not only detrimental to themselves but also those around them

Absolute discipline

Kusnandi Rusmil, the chairman of the research team of the Covid-19 vaccine clinical trial at the School of Medicine of Unpad, said the public was encouraged to continue to apply health protocols seriously despite the clinical trials.

"This vaccine will only be effective if it is injected into 80 percent of Indonesia\'s population. So, everyone still has to be disciplined," he said. The percentage is equivalent to more than 160 million Indonesians.

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KOMPAS/TATANG MULYANA SINAGA

Situation in the vaccine packaging room at Building 43 of PT Bio Farma, Bandung City, West Java, Wednesday (12/8/2020). If the clinical trials are successful, a Covid-19 vaccine will be produced in this building.

Kusnandi added that clinical trial volunteers received a random injection of a vaccine or placebo. The random code will be unlocked six months later so that the immune reactions of the volunteers who received the vaccine and the placebo can be compared.

Sinovac vaccine ingredients are taken from a virus that has been killed. Volunteers will be injected with the vaccine twice with an interval of 14 days.

The clinical trial research for the Sinovac candidate vaccine will be carried out by the Unpad Teaching Hospital and the Unpad Health Center on Jalan Dipati Ukur, as well as the Garuda health centers in Sukapakir, Ciumbuleuit, and Dago, Bandung.

The public can learn from the clinical trials

The field manager of the Covid-19 vaccine clinical trials, Eddy Fadlyana, said the registration for clinical trial volunteers was closed on Monday (31/8). Of the approximately 2,500 registrants, only 10 percent did not meet the criteria. A total of 248 volunteers took the injection of the first does of the vaccine as of Sunday. The second dose of the vaccine has been injected into 21 people.

According to the monitoring results of the clinical trial team, there were no reports of significant symptoms experienced by volunteers after the first vaccination injection. "After the second injection, we will proactively contact them to monitor their health condition," he said.

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Last Friday, a number of West Java officials who were also volunteering for clinical trials were injected with the candidate vaccine. They include West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil, West Java Police Chief Insp. Gen. Rudy Sufahriadi, Siliwangi Military Command III Chief Maj. Gen. Nugroho Budi Wiryanto, and Head of the West Java High Prosecutor\'s Office Ade Adhyaksa.

With their participation, according to Kamil, it is hoped that the community will be calm. "The public can learn from the clinical trials," he said.

Meanwhile, vaccines currently being developed the Eijkmolecular Biology Institute in cooperation with a number of other institutions use recombinant protein technology. The results of the research on the “Red and White” vaccine can be produced in February-March 2021. The process has been 40 percent completed. (Kompas, 12 August 2020).