Gov’t Intensifies Testing, Speeds Up Vaccination Drive to Tackle Omicron

(Photo by: Ministry of Health)

In a bid to curb transmission of the highly transmissible Omicron variant, the Government urged related sides to intensify testing, tracing, tracking measures, and speed up vaccination drive.

As of Thursday (02/10), around 400,000 samples have been processed through the lab daily. The Ministry of Health also recorded that the national Bed Occupancy Rate (BOR) for COVID-19 patients was at 29 percent.

In order to ensure that healthcare facilities can keep running amid the Omicron surge, the Government urged patients with mild symptoms and asymptomatic patients to receive treatment at the centers for isolation or to carry out self-isolation at home.

“Thus, other patients who need to be hospitalized including those with moderate and severe symptoms can receive intensive treatment,” Spokesperson for COVID-19 Vaccination Siti Nadia Tarmizi said.

Regarding the national vaccination drive, Indonesia has so far acquired 500 million doses of vaccines which have been administered to 187.94 million people (90.24 percent of the target population) for the first dose and 134.74 million people (64.70 percent of the target population) for the second dose.

The Government also called on the public, particularly vulnerable groups to receive their shots, be it the first, second, or booster shot.

“Data from Ministry of Health compiled from 21 January to 8 February 2022 shows that 66 percent out of 487 COVID-19 deaths were partially vaccinated persons. We will continue to encourage the public to participate in the Government’s free vaccination program, as well as the booster shot, particularly for the elderly,” she said adding that vaccines have been shown to reduce COVID-19 serious illness.

She went on to say that the data also showed that administering booster shot of half dose to people who had received two doses of Sinovac vaccines is able to increase antibody level just as high as that of full dose.

The people are advised to receive the booster shot six months after their second doses. Once they received booster shot around 6-9 months after being fully vaccinated, it will increase antibody to 12.5 – 88.9-fold, based on types of vaccines they received.

She also reminded the public that vaccination must be followed with strict health protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19.  (Ministry of Health PR/UN) (RAS/MUR)