We must continue to remind the government that Covid-19 must be handled more comprehensively despite the government’s plan to soon issue a road map for nationwide vaccination.
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EDITOR
·3 minutes read
SEKRETARIAT PRESIDEN
Indonesian President Joko Widodo wearing a protective mask and face shield talks as he inspects the third phase trial for COVID-19 vaccine in Bandung, Indonesia, August 11, 2020.
We must continue to remind the government that Covid-19 must be handled more comprehensively despite the government’s plan to soon issue a road map for nationwide vaccination.
A Kompas headline story on Tuesday (29/9/2020) reported that President Jokowi wanted the detailed vaccination program to be ready in two weeks.
It is a good thing to learn that the road map for the vaccination program would soon be issued. However, it would be bad if we thought the vaccination would be the only way to cope with the pandemic.
History shows that Edward Jenner discovered a vaccine for smallpox in 1796 but the world was declared free from the disease only in 1980 or 184 years after the finding of the vaccine. To date, we have only conquered three infectious diseases with vaccines, namely smallpox, polio, provided that there are still cases in two countries, and rinderpest in cows. Several other infectious diseases still have to be prevented through basic immunization.
Ironically, from so many infectious diseases, there are only about 40 vaccines available for humans. Making a vaccine is not easy, even though the vaccines are proven to be effective in preventing the spread of infectious diseases. In countries with a good immunization coverage, the number of people with tuberculosis, diphtheria, labor, tetanus and hepatitis B is quite small.
WANG ZHAO/AFP
An engineer works in the general laboratory during a media tour of a new factory built to produce a COVID-19 coronavirus vaccine at Sinovac, one of 11 Chinese companies approved to carry out clinical trials of potential coronavirus vaccines, in Beijing on September 24, 2020.
The immunization coverage is the key. Let’s take a look at the immunization coverage in the country. Based on data provided by the Health Ministry, in 2018, only 87.8 percent of children received complete basic immunization, 12 percent others received the vaccine but not complete while the remaining one percent of the children did not immunization at all. Not all the children can get the vaccines due to, among others, the lack of access to health services and information, in addition to the recent widespread denial. Thus, an intensive public campaign on the need of the vaccination is needed in order to increase the immunization coverage.
We, for example, should not get tired in convincing the people on the need to adhere to the health protocols.
Back to the topic related to the Covid-19 vaccine, there are indeed so many things that must be addressed. We, for example, should not get tired in convincing the people on the need to adhere to the health protocols. A research conducted in Thailand shows that wearing masks, washing hands, and maintaining distance with others can effectively control the spread of Covid-19.
Furthermore, large-scale social restrictions (PSBB), regional quarantines or whatever the name are, must be followed with prevention and cure efforts such as testing, tracing and treatment (3T). Moreover, the number of examinations carried out in the country has not reached a half of the minimum threshold of 1 per 1,000 population per week. Clinical skills and medical equipment in primary health care should be improved.
On the other hand, it is necessary to develop a national vaccine to reduce dependence on other countries. Do not just take an easy way, even though some people claim to be able to import at low prices. As the world\'s fourth largest population, Indonesia has the potential to become a big vaccine market, which can make vaccine making more feasible.
Even after vaccines are available, health protocols must still be implemented, including sanctions and incentives. Learning from history, there is still a long way to go to overcome Covid-19.
