COVID-19 Task Force Urges Public to Follow Health Protocols during Holiday

Spokesperson of COVID-19 Task Force gives a press statement at the Presidential Office. (Photo by: Documentation of Cabinet Secretariat).

COVID-19 Handling Task Force has urged the public to implement strict health protocols and maintain physical distance, while they enjoy this week’s long weekend holiday.

Spokesperson of COVID-19 Handling Task Force Wiku Adisasmito made the statement at the Presidential Office, Jakarta, Thursday (20/8). According to him, the world has not discovered yet antidotes or vaccines for COVID-19.

“Scientists in every country in the world are racing to develop antidotes or vaccines for COVID-19,” Wiku said.

Wiku went on to say that Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Erick Thohir, as Chief of the Working Committee for COVID-19 Mitigation and National Economic Recovery, together with Minister of Foreign Affairs have a meeting with the Chinese Government to discuss COVID-19 handling.

“The meeting with the Chinese Government focuses on bilateral relations in the context of COVID-19 handling, such as vaccines and several things related to the contribution of medical devices. Those are the targets of bilateral cooperation enhancement,” he said.

For current treatment, he added, several medicines or pre-existing medical treatments to treat other diseases will be used to treat COVID-19 patients.

He further said that there are several medical treatments that have been developed in various parts of the world, including in Indonesia.

“Some treatments have shown positive effects. The treatments should be applied carefully until it can be recommended in any clinical study to be a safe and effective treatment for COVID-19,” he said.

In COVID-19 vaccines development, Indonesia has involved 5 specialist medical expert associations, including the Indonesian Society of Respirology (PDPI), the Indonesian Pediatric Association (IDAI), the Indonesian Internist Association (PAPDI), Indonesian Anesthesiology and Intensive Therapy Association (PERDATIN), and Indonesian Cardiologist Association (PERKI).

The five medical expert associations have collaborated with Ministry of Health to recommend procedures to treat COVID-19 patients. The spokesperson added that doctors in the country are expected to provide the best treatment using medicine that are available and health care facility owned by each region.

“COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms, besides independent isolation, will be provided with some medicine, including vitamin C and some antivirals that have potential to heal COVID-19 patients,” Wiku said.

He also stated that several doctors in the medical expert associations have recommended some medicine including remdesivir, favipiravir, lovinavir-ritonavir, oseltamivir, and other medicine to reduce symptoms such as paracetamol to reduce more than 38 degrees Celsius fever.

“For moderate symptoms, they have recommended chloroquine, azithromycin, and several anticoagulants, if there is a potential for blood clots,” he added.

On that occasion, he also said that severe or critical symptoms can use corticosteroids and broad-spectrum antibiotics in accordance with the clinical development.

“We inform this so every doctor who treats COVID-19 patients can really choose the best treatment,” he said. (Communication Team of COVID-19 Mitigation Working Committee and PEN / EN)

Translated by: Syarifah Aisyah
Reviewed by: Mia Medyana