We appreciate the government's quick response to ban travellers from South Africa and surrounding countries, as well as warning the public to comply with the implementation of community activity restrictions (PPKM).
By
KOMPAS EDITOR
·3 minutes read
AFP/MOHD RASFAN
Passengers wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) queue to check-in for their flight at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in Sepang on November 29, 2021, as countries across the globe shut borders and renewed travel curbs in response to the spread of a new, heavily mutated Covid-19 coronavirus variation dubbed Omicron.
Even though we have successfully reduced the number of Covid-19 cases, we need to remain vigilant, especially in stopping the spread of Omicron, the new coronavirus variant found in South Africa.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned the world to be vigilant as Omicron has a large number of mutations that can trigger reinfection. This variant was first detected in South Africa on 24 November 2021.
Apart from South Africa, Omicron has also been detected in Botswana, Belgium, Hong Kong, Israel and the United Kingdom. Not surprisingly, a number of countries, including Indonesia, have simultaneously banned travellers from Southern Africa.
Until now, there have been five variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that have been reported to have spread globally. Alpha, Beta, Gamma variants were found in the first wave, Delta in the second and now Omicron, which could trigger the third wave.
As a new variant, the understanding of Omicron’s characteristics is still limited, especially related to transmission and the severity for those who are infected. Preliminary data show there is an increase in the number of patients hospitalized in South Africa. However, this still needs to be studied further as to whether this increase in hospitalizations was caused by the spread of the old variants or because of Omicron.
What is known is that with a large number of mutations, the Omicron variant could easily infect those who have already been exposed to Covid-19. The level of its severity, however, needs further research. There have been reports of infection in a number of college students with mild effects, but again, it is not known yet whether this mild impact is because it had infected healthy young people or because of the Omicron variant itself.
AFP/PHILL MAGAKOE
A passenger holds his mobile phone while looking at an electronic flight notice board displaying cancelled flights at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg on November 27, 2021, after several countries banned flights from South Africa following the discovery of a new Covid-19 variant Omicron. - A flurry of countries around the world have banned ban flights from southern Africa following the discovery of the variant, including the United States, Canada, Australia,Thailand, Brazil and several European countries. The main countries targeted by the shutdown include South Africa, Botswana, eSwatini (Swaziland), Lesotho, Namibia, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe.
How can we deal with the new strain? In a situation like this we need to stick to certain principles. Vaccinations, proven to be able to prevent transmission and reduce morbidity, should be further accelerated and their coverage should also be further expanded. Omicron was reported to have been found in areas of Africa where vaccination coverage is low. In South Africa, only 24 percent of the population has been fully vaccinated.
Vaccine equity is an important issue so that poor countries have access to vaccines equal to rich countries. Likewise in Indonesia, the vaccination program must be immediately expanded in remote areas, so that the herd immunity program can be immediately realized. For comparison, in Jakarta, 99.8 percent of adults have been fully vaccinated, while in East Nusa Tenggara the vaccination coverage is only 52.84 percent.
Mitigation efforts such as testing, tracing and treatment should not be reduced. Moreover, it has been proven that the rapid antigen and PCR tests are able to detect all variants of SARS-CoV-2, including
Omicron. Medical procedures for treating Covid-19 patients have also been established. Equally important is the implementation of health protocols, such as wearing masks, keeping a safe distance and hand washing.
We appreciate the government's quick response to ban travellers from South Africa and surrounding countries, as well as warning the public to comply with the implementation of community activity restrictions (PPKM). Hopefully, by doing so, we can prevent the third wave of Covid-19 infections in the country.
This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi.
