Don\'t Get Careless Even If You Have Been Vaccinated

Kompas/Priyombodo

The vaccinator injects the Covid-19 vaccine into someone during a mass vaccination activity for the elderly and non-bank financial industry (IKNB) workers in Jakarta, Tuesday (27/4/2021).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – Many people have tested positive for Covid-19 even though they have been fully vaccinated and the number is now on the rise. It means that health protocols and efforts to maintain healthy lifestyle should not be ignored.

Gatot Soegiarto, a lecturer at the allergy and clinical immunology department at the School of Medicine, Airlangga University said in a virtual discussion on the importance of maintaining immunity on Wednesday (28/4/2021), that there were no drugs that had been proven to be able to effectively overcome Covid-19. “The most important thing is to prevent it through health protocols (washing hands, wearing a mask, social distancing, avoiding crowds and reducing mobility), as well as vaccination," he said. The Covid-19 vaccine can produce antibodies, but it could not give full protection, he said.

There is not 100 percent protection.

“If people have received a vaccine with a 65 percent efficacy, the risk of being infected is down 65 percent compared to those who have not been vaccinated. So, there is not 100 percent protection, "he said.

Because of that, Gatot said, residents should not be careless even though they had been vaccinated, especially for those who just received the first shot of the Covid-19 vaccine. Moreover, the number of vaccinated people infected is on the rise, he said.

According to Gatot, vaccination is intended to increase antibody titers or the immune system against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the levels of which can vary from one person to another. It is influenced by factors of age, gender, genetics, nutritional factors, smoking and comorbid diseases.

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"Apart from vaccines, a strong immune system can be established by eating foods with good nutrition, do not smoke, sleep well, control stress and take supplements," he said. One of the supplements for inflammatory therapy and to enhance the immune system is Echinacea.

KOMPAS/NINO CITRA ANUGRAHANTO

A line of residents who will receive the Covid-19 vaccine consisting of state civil servants in carrying out mass vaccinations, at the Yogyakarta City Hall Complex, Monday (22/3/2021). Crowds often occur in the implementation of mass vaccinations. However, implementation of health protocols should always be pursued.

Prolonged symptoms

Erlina Burhan, a pulmonary specialist from the Persahabatan General Hospital reminded that there was a growing number of new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that were more contagious and could increase severity and reduce vaccine efficacy. "To prevent a mutation, the transmission in the community should be prevented. The bigger the cases in the community, the higher the chance of mutation, "she said.

Currently, although the majority of Covid-19 patients had recovered, many of them experienced long-term symptoms of Covid-19. "More impacts of the ‘long Covid’ have been identified. Apart from depression and confusion, fatigue and sleeping difficulty, they also experience ringing in ears and anosmia. This could last for six months or more, while the long-term impact is unknown, "she added.

The bigger the cases in the community, the higher the chance of mutation.

A survey conducted by the School of Medicine, University of Indonesia and Persahabatan Hospital on 463 respondents from December 2020 to January 2021 found that 63.5 percent of the respondents experienced the long Covid-19 symptoms include, among others, fatigue (30.24 percent), cough (16.85 percent), muscle aches (11.23 percent), headaches (11.23 percent), sleep disturbances (9.72 percent), and shortness of breath (9.29 percent).

Early detection

Meanwhile, there is a growing number of travellers from India, who tested positive for Covid-19. It is feared that they will bring the new variant of the COVID-19 coronavirus B.1.617. Early detection and the requirement to undergo a quarantine for at least 14 days should not only imposed on travelers from India because the new Covid-19 variant has spread to many other countries. "There were 26 who have conducted a WGS (whole genome sequencing) test. We are still waiting for the results,”said the spokesperson for the Health Ministry, Siti Nadia Tarmizi.

The number of Covid-19 cases found among travelers from India more than doubled this week from 12 cases reported by the Covid-19 Handling Task Force last week.

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Nadia added that a number of travelers from India, who had previously evaded quarantine after bribing airport officials, have been sent to a quarantine facility. They will undergo quarantine for at least 14 days as stipulated by the Indonesian government’s travel restrictions.

AFP/PRAKASH SINGH

Health workers wearing personal protective equipment (PPE kit) attends to Covid-19 coronavirus positive patients inside a banquet hall temporarily converted into a covid care centre in New Delhi on April 28, 2021.

Apart from India, travelers from other countries arriving in Indonesia are also required to undergo five-day quarantine. This quarantine requirement is imposed on both Indonesian citizens and foreign nationals. On the last day of quarantine, they will be required to conduct a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. If the result is negative, they will be allowed to continue travel in the country.

An Indonesian epidemiologist at Griffith University, Australia, Dicky Budiman said that the 14-day quarantine should be applied to all travelers from abroad. "The quarantine should last for two incubation periods. If I there is a variant that is potentially more infectious or dangerous, it will be better to use a longer incubation period of between 21 and 28 days," he said.

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The new Covid-19 variant from India dubbed B.1.617, has spread to many countries. Therefore, the transmission of the new coronavirus variant will not only come from travelers from India.

The World Health Organization (WHO) weekly report issued on Tuesday (27/4 indicated that the variant B.1,617 had been found in more than 1,200 viral genome sequences uploaded to the GISAID database from 17 countries. Most of the genomes were uploaded from India, Great Britain, United States and Singapore.

Meanwhile, the tighter travel restrictions on foreign travellers have also been implemented at Juanda International Airport in Surabaya since Wednesday (28/4). All passengers are tested for Covid-19 and must undergo quarantine for at least five days.

Last week, 652 Indonesian migrant workers from Malaysia and Singapore arrived at the Batam port, Batam City, Riau Islands. Currently there are 69 migrant workers who tested positive for Covid-19. They are now being treated at the Covid-19 Infectious Disease Hospital on Galang Island. (AIK/ NDU/ NIK/ TAN).

This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi.