Is Indonesia ready for the Covid-19 Endemic in May 2022?
14 June 2022More than two years since the Covid-19 infection was declared a global pandemic.
More than two years since the Covid-19 infection was declared a global pandemic, many countries are starting to prepare for the possibility of this disease surviving as an endemic. Is Indonesia actually ready for the transition to endemic?
Endemic is different from epidemic and pandemic. Endemic is a condition where the spread of disease in an area occurs constantly, but at a slower rate. In endemic conditions, the spread of the disease can be well controlled.
To be able to make the transition from a pandemic to a Covid-19 endemic, the following conditions need to be met:
• The transmission rate must be less than 1. This means that when one person is infected with Covid-19, the risk of transmitting this infection to another person is less than one person.
• The positivity rate must be less than 5%.
• Hospitalization rate should be less than 5%.
• The mortality rate must be less than 3%.
• PPKM level is at level 1 local transmission.
• These conditions occur within a certain time span, for example 6 months.
The Indonesian Ministry of Health stated that Indonesia was being prepared to face the endemic period. This preparation was carried out in several ways, including loosening some regulations related to Covid-19 which include:
• Started lowering the level of Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM) to level two.
• Removing the requirement to carry out antigen and PCR tests for travel by public transportation, either by land, sea, or air, for people who have received two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine.
• Lowering the quarantine period for people who have just arrived from abroad, from 14 days to 7 days, then 3 days and currently only 1 day.
Although the transmission is starting to decline and is controlled, in reality, Indonesia currently still considers Covid-19 a pandemic. It will take longer and people must be prepared to live side by side with the Corona virus. Before these endemic conditions can be met, all parties, including the community, must be more responsible for achieving these goals. Not to mention the awareness of some residents who sometimes violate health protocols. Starting from ignoring masks, tourists who explode every holiday despite an appeal, to gathering in large numbers for an event, say like a music concert that is starting to appear.
For this reason, it is hoped that the community will continue to take care of themselves. For those who are sick, take the medicine provided and take additional multivitamins so that the body is fit again and continues to apply health protocols to break the chain of covid-19.