Tracing Strengthened, Antigen Testing Enforced

Antigen tests will be used to screen COVID-19 cases. With proper tracing, isolation and treatment, COVID-19 transmission is hoped to be controlled.

KOMPAS/RIZA FATHONI

A man rides a motorbike without wearing a mask in front of the Red Zone warning banner installed on the fence of the village portal in RW 01, Kebon Baru Village, Tebet, South Jakarta, Wednesday (10/2/2021). A total of 82 RW in the capital have the status of the Covid-19 red zone and are included in the strict control area (WPK) until February 4, 2021.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – The country has begun to improve and strengthen its COVID-19 handling to effectively control transmission rate. The utilization of antigen testing is encouraged to screen as many active cases as possible.

Such a measure will be accompanied by improvements in tracing, isolation and treatment. It is hoped that these basic steps in controlling the pandemic will curb the country’s transmission rate.

“In order to accelerate testing and tracing, we opt to use antigen rapid tests,” said the Health Ministry’s director for direct infectious diseases, Siti Nadia Tarmizi.

Also read: Micro-Scale PPKM Deemed Less Effective

Nearly a year since the pandemic hit Indonesia, close contact-tracing has remained an obstacle in controlling COVID-19 transmission. Although there are 620 laboratories ready to examine the specimens obtained through the polymerase chain reaction rapid (PCR) method, the country’s testing effort has yet to be optimal.

A number of regions still take a long time to get test results. In fact, some still have to wait up to 10 days.

In order to accelerate testing and tracing, we opt to use antigen rapid tests.

Two million test kits

Such a condition hampered the country’s effort to handle the pandemic. The country, therefore, decided to broaden its testing capacity. “We have started distributing two million antigen test kits to all 34 provinces,” Nadia said.

The number excluded the 1.7 million test kits distributed in 78 regencies/municipalities in 7 provinces in the islands of Java and Bali, which are currently implementing micro-scale public activity restrictions (PPKM Mikro).

KOMPAS/RIZA FATHONI

Members of the National Police, the National Army, the Civil Service Police Unit and the Transportation Service distributed masks to road users in the Kalimalang area, Bekasi City, West Java, Wednesday (10/2/2021). The distribution of masks aims to implement health protocols, especially using masks accompanied by education so that people continue to wear masks to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in public places.

Each community health centers (Puskesmas) will ensure that the antigen test kits are used optimally to trace the close contacts of people confirmed to have COVID-19. It is targeted that 20 to 30 close contacts will be examined per one confirmed case in less than 72 hours.

Tracing and testing will not only be carried out within the household environment but also in public places, such as traditional markets and office buildings. After that, people confirmed to have the disease will immediately be isolated so that they can undergo PCR testing.

Tests must be evenly conducted in all provinces.

This testing strategy will also affect the country’s daily reporting of new confirmed cases. Previously, the tally of new confirmed cases was only calculated based on the results of PCR testing. Now that antigen testing has been enforced widely, it will also be included in the daily reporting of new confirmed COVID-19 cases.

“This is aimed at speeding up the discovery of transmission in the community, whether it is symptomatic of not,” Nadia said. Transmitted cases, therefore, will be quickly handled and isolated to that the virus will not spread further.

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Tri Yunis Miko Wahyono, an epidemiologist from the University of Indonesia, said that majority of COVID-19 testing was conducted in big cities in the country. The result, therefore, does not fully reflect the situation in the country.

“Tests must be evenly conducted in all provinces,” he said last week. This, too, can later be useful during the vaccination period.

Disaster-stricken regions

Anticipating COVID-19 transmission in disaster-hit areas should also be highly considered. Without proper anticipation, it will cause “double disaster.”

Syiah Kuala University’s Tsunami and Disaster Mitigation Research Center (TDMRC) researcher Ichsan said that shelters in several disaster-stricken regions in Indonesia were dominated by close contact, poor sanitation and hygiene as well as limited clean water supply. Disaster victims, therefore, are more prone to the disease. Moreover, their psychological conditions have also gotten worse, which will potentially weaken their immune.

“These factors are making them more vulnerable to COVID-19 and thus should be anticipated. Particularly for volunteers, they must undergo routine tests. At least the rapid antigen test,” Ichsan said.

Also read: With One Million Covid-19 Cases, Implementation of PPKM Needs to be Strengthened

Learning from the earthquake in Mamuju, West Sulawesi, there has been an increasing trend of COVID-19 cases by 70 percent in the area. Many of the cases were transmitted among volunteers, especially health workers.

Data from the West Sulawesi COVID-19 Task Force shows that there were 789 health workers infected with the virus, including 129 people in Mamuju , 76 in Central Mamuju and 172 in Majene. West Sulawesi Health Agency head Muhammad Alief Satria died of the disease on Sunday (7/2).

Lunar New Year holiday

On the other hand, reflecting on the previous long holiday, Jakarta is yet again facing a thread of a surge in new confirmed COVID-19 cases as people’s mobility may increase during the Lunar New Year long weekend starting on Friday (12/2). It is feared that the PPKM measure will not be able to control the situation as residents can still travel outside the city.

Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan appealed to the public to take advantage of the long Chinese New Year holiday to stay at home with their family. People are urge to only travel if it is urgent and highly necessary.

This article was translated by Camilia Adianti