Protecting Vulnerable from Omicron Urgent

HUMAS POLRESTA SIDOARJO

Sidoarjo Police held a vaccine raid and health protocol education for motorists at the Surabaya border, Tuesday (4/1/2022). This is to prevent the entry of the Omicron variant

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Transmission of the more transmissible Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 could trigger a potential third wave of Covid-19 in the country. Although some studies have indicated it causes less severe disease compared to the Delta variant, the spread of Omicron needs to be anticipated by protecting the vulnerable.

The chairman of the Indonesia Public Health Experts Association (IAKMI), Ede Surya Darmawan, said that the growing number of Covid-19 cases in several countries, such as the United States and India, was a sign to increase vigilance against the Omicron variant.

“Immediately find vulnerable people like the elderly, people with comorbidity and the unvaccinated. The equitable distribution of vaccines must be realized immediately,” he said in Jakarta on Thursday (6/1/2022).

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> Improve Vaccine Distribution and Supervision

> Omicron Caseload Increases

So far, the majority of Omicron cases detected in Indonesia have been brought in by overseas travelers as imported cases. Most cases are asymptomatic or show relatively mild symptoms, like a runny nose and cough. Nevertheless, this condition cannot be trivialized.

According to Ede, people infected with Omicron tended to show mild symptoms because they had been vaccinated, so they had higher levels of immunity. People with comorbidities and the unvaccinated could experience more severe symptoms.

Therefore, efforts to protect people at higher risk should be strengthened. This could start by compiling data on people in this group to facilitate handling in the event of a surge in infection. “The focus should not be on prevention only, but also on increased alertness in providing protection,” he added.

KOMPAS/ABDULLAH FIKRI ASHRI

Elderly residents undergo the Covid-19 vaccination at the Madinatunnajah Islamic Boarding School, Friday (10/12/2021), Cirebon City, West Java. The elderly are a group that is vulnerable to attacks by Omicron variants.

Not yet optimal

However, vaccination for the vulnerable, like the elderly, is not yet optimal. Based on data from the Health Ministry as of 5 Jan. 2022, first-dose vaccination of the elderly reached 67.43 percent, while second-dose vaccination reached just 42.59 percent.

Ede also proposed that multiple control measures be applied to international travelers. After completing their quarantine of 7 to 10 days, regional administrations should to monitor their health. “For instance, several days after their quarantine, they are tested by regional administrations,” he suggested.

The Health Ministry’s infectious disease prevention and control director, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, expected regional administrations to intensify testing and contact tracing efforts.

Also read:

> Booster Rollout to Start on 12 January

> Omicron and the Pandemic’s Course Ahead

The country had recorded 254 Omicron cases at present. Of this figure, 239 cases had been detected in international arrivals. “Never be negligent. Preparing a centralized isolation facility is called for, as this variant is highly transmissible,” she said.

According to a report from the Covid-19 Control Task Force on Thursday (6/1), the total number of Covid-19 cases in Indonesia had increased by 533 people. Jakarta and the Riau Islands were major contributors, with 267 cases and 123 cases, respectively. For comparison, 274 new cases were recorded on 1 Jan.

The spike in cases in Jakarta was generally from Indonesians who had returned from overseas trips.

The variant has not been identified as yet. They have been quarantined and we are tracing their close contacts.

Meanwhile, two employees at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Banten had tested positive for Covid-19. An administrative staffer at an airline company and an airport security officer had been confirmed as Covid-19 cases during contact tracing. Earlier, 15 laboratory technicians at Farmalab and I-Lab had tested positive for Covid-19.

“The variant has not been identified as yet. They have been quarantined and we are tracing their close contacts,” Deni Koswara, the daily chairman of the Tangerang City Covid-19 Task Force in Banten, said on Thursday (6/1). The Tangerang municipal administration has been tracing 171 close contacts of the administrative staffer at the airline company.

In the meantime, the Cirebon Health Office in West Java is preparing 178 isolation beds to anticipate a surge in Covid-19 cases.

(TAM/DAN/ERK/IKI)

This article was translated by Aris Prawira.