Day: June 29, 2021

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Families have an important role to play as a bulwark against the spread of coronavirus infections, Minister of Home Affairs, Tito Karnavian, has said.

“If all families adhere to health protocols, wear masks in appropriate places, such as public spaces and crowds, and avoid crowds, diligently wash their hands, this will have a major impact on national efforts to control COVID-19,” he remarked at the online commemoration of the 28th National Family Day, held by the National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) and accessed from Jakarta on Tuesday.

Vaccination is also an important government program for dealing with COVID-19, the minister said. Through vaccinations, it is hoped that every community will have antibodies in their immune system, he added.

“So that when exposed to (the new type of coronavirus), the antibody of someone can neutralize the virus in his body,” he continued.

Karnavian also explained the benefits of COVID-19 vaccines, apart from prevention involving the 5Ms (wearing masks, washing hands with soap, maintaining safe distance, avoiding crowds, and reducing activities outside the home).

According to him, the government will find it difficult to suppress the spread of COVID-19 if the community does not take part in the efforts since the community is at the forefront of preventing person-to-person transmission.

Therefore, the minister said, the family has a central role in dealing with COVID-19. “I hope every family can socialize and implement the 5Ms. At the same time, (I would) encourage (them to participate in) vaccination programs,” he added.

The pandemic, which has several negative impacts, can be suppressed if the government and entire communities, including families, come together, Karnavian said.

At the peak of the 28th National Family Day commemoration, BKKBN also launched a vaccination program for breastfeeding mothers and children aged 12 to 17 years.

Simultaneous vaccination activities were carried out in Bogor City, Sumedang district, Makassar City and Pangkal Pingang City with the aim of extending protection to breastfeeding mothers and children from COVID-19.

As many as 13,329,738 Indonesians have received the full dose of the COVID-19 vaccine under the national vaccination program, which is targeting to build herd immunity against the virus, the COVID-19 Task Force has reported.

A total of 147,704 people received the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, 884,876 people received their first vaccine dose on Tuesday, which brought the total tally of recipients of the first dose to 28,304,774.

The government has intensified the vaccination program and is targeting to administer at least one million doses daily to speed up the realization of herd immunity.

Under the first phase of the vaccination program, the government is aiming to inoculate 40,349,049 people against COVID-19 out of the 181.5 million recipients targeted by the national immunization program overall. (INE)

Source: Antara News

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi has asked India to relax permits for the export of therapeutic medicines to Indonesia amid a spike in COVID-19 infections.

She conveyed the request to Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on the sidelines of the G20 foreign ministers meeting in Italy on Monday (June 28, 2021).

“With the Indian foreign minister, I expressed my hope that a concession of export permits for some therapeutic medicines, that Indonesia needs, from India to Indonesia, can be granted,” she said in a written statement issued on Tuesday.

Currently, owing to the COVID-19 case surge in India, the country has imposed temporary restrictions on the exports of vaccines and medicines, Marsudi informed.

Indonesia, however, needs the drugs to deal with its COVID-19 transmission rate, which has reached about 21 thousand new cases a day, she added.

“Indonesia’s request is being considered by India positively, and Indonesia has conveyed the details of the medicines needed at this time,” she said.

Apart from India, the minister said she has also communicated with the Japanese government on the issue of sharing of vaccine doses.

In response, Japan has said it will donate around 2 million doses of finished COVID-19 vaccines to Indonesia, Marsudi disclosed. The vaccines are expected to arrive in July this year, she added.

During a meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, Marsudi also explored cooperation in the procurement of therapeutic drugs.

“The Japanese foreign minister will soon see the possibility of cooperation in providing therapeutic drugs that Indonesia needs at this time,” she noted.

During a bilateral meeting with the foreign ministers of countries such as India, Japan, Brunei Darussalam, Singapore, and Spain, the Indonesian foreign minister again emphasized the importance of strengthening diplomacy in the health sector to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Marsudi, the current global vaccination program has provided a glimmer of hope for ending the pandemic, but that hope is not evenly distributed throughout the world due to the high vaccine gap between developed and developing countries.

“The emergence of new variants has pushed the world to speed up vaccination equally. In this regard, Indonesia continues to encourage the implementation of equal access to vaccines for all countries,” she said.

Indonesia has so far encouraged efforts to accelerate vaccinations through dose-sharing, supporting the TRIPS waiver proposal on the temporary removal of patents for COVID-19 vaccines and treatments, among other things.

The country is supporting the proposal and efforts to close the financing gap for Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, which is a groundbreaking global collaboration to accelerate development, production, and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines. (INE)

Source: Antara News

Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Ministry of Health has encouraged the public, who still have to conduct outdoor activities, to continue to wear masks at home in order to avert infections.

“COVID-19 infections within families can be caused by droplets dispersed by coughing and sneezing. Hence, family members, with high mobility or at risk, should wear their mask even at home, especially those living with those in the vulnerable groups, such as pregnant women, children, and senior citizens,” Director of Family Health from the Ministry of Health Erna Mulati stated during a national seminar held virtually here, Tuesday.

Mulati also noted that the implementation of health protocols in families should not be viewed as burdensome, even inside homes.

“Do not take this lightly because we never know whether we are carrying the virus or not,” she emphasized, saying that families play a crucial role in the fight against COVID-19.

Families that remain disciplined in applying health protocols will sustain lower risks of being exposed to COVID-19. “Families that are aware of the health protocols will protect their members and those around them,” she stated.

Mulati is upbeat about all families following the practice of washing their hands with running water, wearing masks properly, maintaining distance, avoiding crowds, and decrease their mobility.

The importance of testing, tracing, and treatment should also be borne in mind. Family members, exposed to the virus, should communicate it with other members.

Apart from health protocols, an understanding of vaccinations within the family is also crucial.

“We are optimistic that all family members would get factual information. Vaccinations can protect families from COVID-19,” she stated.

Source: Antara News

Batang, C Java (ANTARA) – Central Java’s governor has asked the military and police to help implement a lockdown in around seven thousand neighborhood associations (RTs) categorized as red zones, or areas with high COVID-19 transmission risk, in the province.

“Right now, I have issued lockdown orders for some seven thousand RTs. Now, we will only supervise the implementation of the orders soon,” Governor Ganjar Pranowo said during a visit to Kalisari General Regional Hospital (RSUD) in Batang district, Central Java on Tuesday.

The lockdown is part of efforts to contain increasing COVID-19 transmission in Central Java, he informed.

“I appeal to the public to wear masks and avoid crowds. Based on the instruction of the Home Affairs Ministry, no more than three people are allowed to assemble,” he said.

He also suggested that people worship at their home for the time being.

If the public can stay at home for 14 days, they can help contain the spread of COVID-19 infections, which have shown a sharp increase, he said. “The COVID-19 transmission has been quite extreme. Therefore, the chief of the provincial police and the commander of the regional military command have ordered the babinsa (village supervisory noncommissioned officers) and babinkamtibnas (public order and security maintenance agency) officers to help conduct patrols,” the governor added.

The bed occupancy rates in isolation rooms at hospitals has reached an alarming level following a recent surge in COVID-19 cases, he said.

“At this moment, it has reached above 80 percent, so (hospitals) need to increase the number of beds soon,” he informed.

The governor also requested the Batang district administration to prepare emergency hospitals or tents to help treat COVID-19 patients.

The Batang district head said the hospital currently has 24 COVID-14 patients. Hence, the local government should prepare emergency hospitals or tents, he added.

Central Java, which recorded 244,241 confirmed COVID-19 cases as of Saturday (June 26, 2021), is ranked third after Jakarta and West Java in terms of the COVID-19 case count. (INE)

Source: Antara News

Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Indonesian Agriculture Ministry, in cooperation with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), through the Emergency Center for Transboundary Animal Diseases (FAO ECTAD), launched a Global Health Security Programme (GHSP) targeted at averting future pandemics.

During the launch event held virtually on Tuesday, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Agriculture Kasdi Subagyono was upbeat about the program running in sync and harmony with the ministry’s other programs.

“I am optimistic of smooth synergy and harmonization in the implementation of the GHSP project along with other projects at the Ministry of Agriculture while ensuring good administrative aspects in planning, implementing, and reporting according to regulations by adopting best practices and lessons learned from the experience of implementing previous projects,” Subagyono noted during the launch event accessed from Jakarta.

The program, also supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), focuses on preventing threats of future pandemics related to zoonoses, which are diseases transmitted to humans from animals. Continued attention to animal diseases, in general, and zoonoses, in particular, remain a priority for governments around the world, including for Indonesia.

Along with 70 other nations, Indonesia is working to expedite political and multi-sectoral support for health security preparedness in a global initiative, termed the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA), to keep the world safe from the threats of infectious diseases.

Meanwhile, Director General of Livestock and Animal Health Services from the Ministry of Agriculture, Nasrullah, noted that Indonesia is one of the leading nations in the Global Health Security Agenda and has been actively contributing as a member of the Steering Committee during the period from 2016 through to 2024.

Nasrullah affirmed that the president had also put the spotlight on Indonesia’s contribution to the global initiative. “This collaboration is expected to be able to prevent, detect early, and control emerging infectious diseases, especially those that threaten Indonesia’s health and economy. Furthermore, this collaboration is expected to contribute to improving human health, food security, and livelihoods,” he stated.

The GHSP is a new platform building on a long history of collaboration between the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture and FAO ECTAD-USAID in reducing pandemic risks.

The collaboration was prompted by the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) pandemic back in 2006, during which Indonesia had recorded the highest number of H5N1 bird flu cases worldwide, with the highest number of human fatalities until 2014. While the number of cases of avian flu in humans had dipped considerably, the endemic situation of the H5N1 virus continues to pose a threat to the poultry industry and human health. Apart from bird flu, other high-impact zoonotic diseases, such as rabies and anthrax, continue to be an endemic in several parts of Indonesia.

Furthermore, FAO Representative ad interim to Indonesia, Richard Trenchard stressed on the importance of early detection of potential outbreaks, particularly reflecting on the current COVID-19 pandemic that has had enormous and devastating impacts and disrupted global food security and economies.

“As always, the FAO stands ready to work along with Indonesia to respond early and effectively,” he affirmed.

Acting Deputy Mission Director for the USAID Indonesia Laura Gonzales further stated that the program will build on past successes and the lessons learned from responding to COVID-19 “to further hone Indonesia’s zoonotic and infectious disease detection, preparedness, and response capabilities”.

Source: Antara News

Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Jakarta Metropolitan Police is set to impose restrictions on public mobility in 35 areas in and around the Indonesian capital as part of efforts to contain COVID-19 transmission.

“In total, there are 35 areas in the jurisdiction of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police covering Jakarta, Bekasi, Depon, and Tangerang,” traffic director of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police, Senior Commissioner Sambodo Purnomo, said in Jakarta on Monday.

The areas comprise 21 mobility restriction areas and 14 mobility control areas, he informed. In mobility restriction areas, the police will close access to and from the areas to curb crowding, he said. Only local residents and emergency health services will be exempt from the restrictions, he added.

Meanwhile, police will not close access to and from mobility control areas, Purnomo said. However, it will tightly supervise the areas by conducting patrols and placing officers at vulnerable points, he added.

The restrictions on and the control of public mobility in the areas will be in effect from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m., he informed.

Source: Antara News

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Children constituted 12.6 percent of the COVID-19 transmission cases in several parts of Indonesia, Chief of the Indonesian Pediatric Society (IDAI) Aman Pulungan stated.

“The national data shows that children up to the age of 18 years with confirmed COVID-19 constitute 12.6 percent (of the total transmission cases),” the IDAI chief noted in Jakarta on Tuesday.

One of the eight people exposed to COVID-19 were from the child age bracket, Pulungan noted, adding that children currently also fall in the criteria of people running the risk of succumbing to COVID-19.

Children can fall ill and die of COVID-19 based on the comorbidity they experience, he explained.

“Anybody can develop comorbidities, such as obesity, tuberculosis, and hypertension, be it children under five and the youth,” he stated.

To this end, the IDAI recommends that 10 percent of the children get vaccinated against COVID-19, he remarked.

“One of 83 Indonesians, who died of COVID-19, was a child. This should draw attention and become a reason to remain vigilant for asymptomatic people to conduct self-isolation,” he emphasized.

Pulungan noted that children could transmit COVID-19 among other family members.

“I suggest that all activities of children in the 0-18 age group should be conducted online. Prevent children from venturing out of their homes, teach them to remain disciplined in following health protocols, immunize children, and intensify breastfeeding,” he stressed.

The IDAI commended the government’s policy to vaccinate children in the age group of 12 and 17 years against COVID-19. The Indonesian Health Ministry is considering the use of Sinovac and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines for children below 18 years of age.

“We are studying vaccines that already have emergency-use authorization (EUA) for young people,” Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin stated during an online press conference broadcast on the Presidential Secretariat’s YouTube channel here on last Friday.

Sinovac has been approved for people in the age group of three to 17 years, while Pfizer has obtained approval for the 12-17 age group, he noted.

The ministry has deliberated with the Indonesia Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (ITAGI) over conducting COVID-19 vaccination of children, Sadikin remarked.

The government is also monitoring how countries in Europe and Asia and also the United States are conducting COVID-19 vaccinations of children, he stated.

Citing global data, he remarked that 99 percent of the COVID-19 cases in the under 18 age group can be cured.

China has approved the emergency use of Sinovac’s COVID-19 vaccine for children as young as three, Sinovac Biotech Ltd confirmed.

Canada, the US, and the EU have already authorized the Pfizer vaccine for children as young as 12, while the UK has recently approved the use of Pfizer’s vaccine for children in the age group of 12 to 15 years.

Source: Antara News

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesian Vice President Ma’ruf Amin applauded the government’s decision to offer COVID-19 vaccination for children in the age bracket of 12-17 years on account of the quite high child mortality rate.

“The mortality rate among children aged 10-18 years that contracted COVID-19 reaches 30 percent,” Amin remarked during his opening remarks on the occasion of the 28th National Family Day and the Launch of Vaccinations for Pregnant Women, Breastfeeding Mothers and Children aged 12-18 Years organized virtually here on Tuesday.

“I welcome the start of a vaccination program for pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and children aged 12-17 years old. This decision is very appropriate, considering the mortality rate of COVID-19 sufferers in the age group of 10-18 years is quite high, reaching 30 percent,” the vice president remarked at the event organized by the National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN).

Amin urged the agency to launch a campaign on COVID-19 vaccination for children.

“The role of the BKKBN, which is close to family development, in spearheading the implementation of vaccinations targeting family members, including children and pregnant women, is appropriate,” he affirmed.

The vice president praised the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) and the Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI) for their roles in implementing vaccination for children in Indonesia.

“I would like to laud the BPOM, with the support of the IDAI, which in a short period of time, has issued recommendations for the use of vaccines produced by Bio Farma for use in children aged 12-17 years,” he remarked.

The BPOM has issued an emergency use of authorization (EUA) permit for Sinovac’s vaccine to be administered to those aged 12-17 years.

Earlier, President Joko Widodo stated that COVID-19 vaccination for children aged 12-17 years could be implemented immediately.

“We are grateful that the BPOM has issued an emergency use permit, or EUA, for the Sinovac vaccine declared safe for use in children that are 12-17 years of age, so that vaccination for children at that age will start immediately,” the head of state noted in a statement here on Monday.

Source: Antara News