Category: Self Care

The Health Ministry recorded 748 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 Omicron variant in Indonesia until January 15, 2022.

“As of January 15, 2022, there have been 748 confirmed positive cases of Omicron reported. Of which, 569 were people who had a history of international travel and 155 people with local transmission,” Director of Prevention and Control of Vector and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases at the Health Ministry Siti Nadia Tarmizi said in an online symposium on combating COVID-19 pandemic on Sunday.

The ministry is still conducting an epidemiological investigation for 24 other positive cases.

“If we look at probable cases of Omicron, there are currently approximately 1,800 cases,” Tarmizi said.

She said the international travelers were mostly come from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the Unites States, Malaysia, and the United Arab Emirates.

To tackle the spread of the Omicron variant, the government continues to make various efforts such as mobility restrictions and regulation on the duration of the quarantine period for international travelers.

Currently, confirmed Omicron patients must undergo isolation at the Wisma Atlet COVID-19 Emergency Hospital, Jakarta, and at the referral hospital.

If the number of Omicron cases continue to rise, she noted, it is possible that patients who have confirmed positive for COVID-19 to carry out self-isolation at home under the supervision of public health centers (Puskesmas) and local health service facilities.

Patients in self-isolation will be offered telemedicine services, she said.

The government has urged the public to carry out health protocols strictly. Local administrations should strengthen testing and intensify contact tracing in an effort to localize potential COVID-19 clusters.

Whole genom sequencing and the use of PeduliLindungi application must be continued as part of efforts to carry out contact tracing and to quickly locate Omicron cases, she said.

The number of COVID-19 patients being treated at the Wisma Atlet COVID-19 Emergency Hospital, Jakarta, rose by 95 to reach 2,475 on Saturday, an official earlier said.

“The number of inpatients, who are positive (or contracted COVID-19) at towers 5 and 6 reaches 2,475. Meanwhile, the last figure (on Friday) reaches 2,380. There are an additional 95 inpatients,” head of information for Joint Regional Defense Command I, Marine Colonel Aris Mudian, stated while conveying the updated situation of the Wisma Atlet COVID-19 Emergency Hospital here on Saturday.

Mudian also noted that from March 23, 2020, to January 15, 2022, the total number of patients referred to the Wisma Atlet COVID-19 Emergency Hospital had reached 133,629.

Of the total figure, 129,487 patients had recovered, while 1,071 patients were referred to other hospitals, he remarked.

Meanwhile, as of January 15, 2022, the number of patients having succumbed to the virus at the hospital reached 596, he stated.

On the occasion, he also provided an update on the situation at Galang Island’s Special Hospital for Infection (RSKI), Batam, Riau Islands.

According to Mudian, the number of COVID-19 inpatients in the hospital reached 247, comprising 162 men and 85 women, as of Saturday.

The figure has increased by one patient as compared to the previous day when 246 patients were recorded.

Source: Antara News

The Indonesian government on January 12, 2022, rolled out booster vaccinations for those who have completed six months since receiving the second COVID-19 dose.

The booster vaccinations, which are free and not mandatory, aim to offer additional protection to individuals amid the emergence of new COVID-19 variants, notably Omicron.

“I have decided that the COVID-19 booster vaccine will be free of charge for all Indonesians because once again I emphasize that people’s safety is our first priority,” President Joko Widodo said while announcing the booster shot drive on January 11.

“The government will start administering the third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine from January 12. We will prioritize the vaccine for the elderly and vulnerable groups,” he added.

The booster vaccine is considered important for increasing the community’s immunity in view of the fact that the coronavirus has continued to mutate, he said.

However, after receiving the booster vaccine, people must remain disciplined in implementing the health protocols, such as maintaining distance, wearing face masks, and washing hands, he added.

Related news: All Indonesians to get free COVID-19 boosters: Widodo

Based on data from the Ministry of Health, as of January 12, a total of 171,056,204 Indonesians have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine (82.13 percent of the target) and 117,333,660 people have received the second dose (56.34 percent of the target).

In addition, 1,328,659 (90.46 percent) of health workers have been administered the booster vaccine. Overall, the government is targeting to fully vaccinate 208,265,720 Indonesians out of the nation’s population of over 273 million.

Earlier, Indonesia’s COVID-19 Task Force spokesperson and expert team chief, Wiku Bakti Bawono Adisasmito, explained that the government decided to offer booster vaccinations amid concerns over the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

However, the present focus is on getting people to complete the first and second dose of vaccinations, he informed.

“If the immunity rate is decreasing, then we will use the third dose. Make sure that the first and second doses are completed,” he stressed.

Moreover, vaccination is not the only solution to prevent the spread of the new variant in Indonesia, Adisasmito emphasized.

“I would like to remind the people that there are three methods to collectively prevent COVID-19 infection, namely stringent health protocols; 3T which stands for testing, tracing, and treatment; and vaccinations,” he said.

Related news: Indonesians urged to follow booster-related regulations, mechanisms

The National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM) has issued emergency-use authorization (EUA) for five COVID-19 vaccines for use as booster shots.

The five vaccines are Sinovac’s CoronaVac, reproduced by state-run vaccine manufacturer PT Bio Farma, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna, and Zifivax.

“The five vaccines have received the EUA through an evaluation process from the drug or vaccine expert team and have fulfilled the existing criteria,” BPOM head Penny K. Lukito said on January 10.

One additional dose of the homologous vaccine CoronaVac could be administered to people aged 18 years after six months of the primary vaccination, she informed.

The additional dose of the Pfizer vaccine for booster shots would also be given at least six months after the primary vaccination to people aged 18 years and above, according to Lukito.

The AstraZeneca vaccine could also be utilized as a booster shot, she said. According to the immunogenicity test result, utilizing the vaccine could increase antibodies by around 3.5 times, she informed.

Meanwhile, the Moderna vaccine could be used to complement the two-dose administration of AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and Johnson and Johnson primary vaccines, she said.

Related news: Booster shots needed to tackle Omicron spread: academic

A half dose of the vaccine with the mRNA platform could be administered as a booster after the primary vaccine, she added.

“Moderna shows 13 times the immunogenicity after the administration of the booster dose and with the subject being adults aged 18 years and above,” Lukito elaborated.

Zifivax could be used as a heterologous booster for other types of vaccines, such as Sinovac or Sinopharm, with the provision interval of above six months.

“Zifivax shows an increase in neutralizing antibody titers more than 30 times,” she remarked.

The research result shows that immunity response declines to below 30 percent after six months of primary vaccination, which is why the booster shot is necessary, she said.

The elderly and vulnerable groups, or those from the immunocompromised group, are those who will be prioritized for the vaccine booster, she added.

According to Health Ministry data, as of Tuesday (January 11), at least 68.60 percent of the targeted elderly population have received their first dose, and only 43.94 percent have received their second dose.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin assured that the country has adequate vaccine stocks for the COVID-19 vaccination drive.

Booster vaccines have also been obtained from other nations through donations, such as through the COVAX facility and bilateral cooperation programs, he said.

According to the minister, COVAX has provided vaccine assistance for 20 percent of Indonesia’s population.

“It has been confirmed that it will be increased to 30 percent of Indonesia’s population, or the equivalent of 27 million people, or 54 million doses of free vaccines,” he added.

“The booster vaccination is the government’s commitment for protecting all Indonesian communities from the threat of COVID-19 and its variants,” Sadikin added.

Source: Antara News

The government must consider implementing blended learning (a mix of online and offline classes) amid the current increase in COVID-19 cases, People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Deputy Speaker Lestari Moerdijat has said.

“In recent days, the number of COVID-19 positive cases in Jakarta has been increasing, while face-to-face learning is starting to take place. In order to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, a combination of online and face-to-face learning can be implemented,” she said in a written statement released on Friday.

The implementation of blended learning must be followed by efforts to form an offline learning mechanism that is safe from the risk of COVID-19 transmission, both for students and teachers, Moerdijat added.

She called for measurable evaluation of the implementation of face-to-face learning amid the increasing cases of COVID-19 to reduce the risk of coronavirus spread.

The MPR deputy speaker expressed the hope that a learning process that is adaptive to the COVID-19 situation would still be able to meet the academic standards expected in the curriculum.

She asked all stakeholders to work hand in hand to control the spread of COVID-19 consistently so that people can carry out their daily activities safely.

With a measurable COVID-19 handling system, a number of activities, such as learning and working, could be carried out safely with measurable risks, she said.

“Amid the increasing cases of COVID-19, efforts to increase testing and tracing must be realized, including improving public compliance with the health protocols so that the increasing trend of COVID-19 cases is not followed by an increase in mortality,” she remarked.

In addition, she said that ramping up COVID-19 vaccinations among vulnerable groups is a necessary preventive measure.

The first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Indonesia in March 2020. According to data provided by the COVID-19 Handling Task Force, as of January 14, 2022, at least 4,269,740 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the country, while 4,117,700 people have recovered, and 144,163 people have succumbed to the virus.

The Indonesian government recently allowed schools to start face-to-face learning at 100-percent capacity through the issuance of the Four Ministries Joint Decree regarding the Guidelines for the Implementation of Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The joint decree allows regions with Level 1 and 2 public activity restrictions (PPKM) to implement 100-percent face-to-face learning.

Source: Antara News

Four people were killed, after a train hit a minivan in Indonesia’s East Java Province yesterday afternoon, an official of state-owned railway operator, Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI), said.

The accident occurred when the minivan, carrying four people, was passing a railroad crossing without a bar gate and no signal, in Bayeman village of Probolinggo district, said Tohari, the spokesperson of KAI’s Operational Region IX, as reported by the local media.

When the vehicle was on the railway track, a train was passing and the crash was unavoidable, he added.

All victims have been sent to a nearby hospital.

Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the accident.

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK

The Indonesian Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) has issued emergency-use authorization (EUA) for COVID-19 antiviral drug Molnupiravir.

“After going through an evaluation of the clinical trial data together with the expert team of the National Committee for Drug Assessment and the clinical association for EUA approval, BPOM and the Ministry of Health continue to monitor the safety of the use of Molnupiravir in Indonesia,” head of BPOM, Penny K Lukito, said in a press release received here on Friday.

The approved Molnupiravir medicine is in the form of 200 mg capsules registered by PT Amarox Pharma Global and manufactured by Hetero Labs Ltd., India, Lukito informed.

The drug is indicated to treat mild to moderate COVID-19 infection in patients aged 18 years and above who do not require oxygen administration and have an increased risk of developing severe COVID-19 infection, she said.

“The drug is given twice a day, as much as four capsules of 200 mg each, for five days,” she noted.

Earlier, BPOM had issued EUA for several COVID-19 drugs, including antiviral drugs Favipiravir and Remdesivir and monoclonal antibody Regdanvimab.

The results of the evaluation have shown Molnupiravir is relatively safe and produces tolerable side-effects, Lukito said. The most commonly reported side-effects include nausea, headache, abdominal pain, and oropharyngeal pain, she added.

In addition, the results of non-clinical trials and clinical trials have shown that Molnupiravir does not cause liver function disorders, she noted. However, Molnupiravir should not be prescribed to pregnant women and women of productive age who are using contraceptives, she added.

Regarding the efficacy aspect, the results of the Phase Three clinical trial have shown that Molnupiravir could reduce the risk of hospitalization by 30 percent in mild to moderate COVID-19 patients and 24.9 percent in mild COVID-19 patients, she informed.

To support of the availability of COVID-19 drugs in Indonesia, PT Amarox Pharma Global is preparing for local production of Molnupiravir capsules through transfer technology at the Amarox Cikarang production facility in Bekasi District, West Java, she informed.

“A letter of approval for the use of non-betalactam capsule production facilities was issued on January 3, 2022, and after the requirements for Good Manufacturing Practices of Drugs (GMP) can be met by the industry, the local production is planned to be ready in early March 2022. This enhances our joint efforts to support the independence of the domestic drug industry,” she said.

In addition, BPOM is also supervising the production and distribution chain of drugs so that the safety, efficacy, and quality of drugs can be maintained to prevent the use of illegal drugs, she added.

Source: Antara News

Several homes and public facilities in Lebak District, Banten Province, were damaged in a 6.6-magnitude (M) earthquake that occurred at 4.05 p.m. Western Indonesian Standard Time (WIB) on Friday.

“So far, there have been reports regarding damaged buildings, for instance, the roof collapse at Lebak 3 Islamic Senior High School (MAN) in Gunungkencana Sub-district,” Head of the Public Relations Division of Banten Regional Police Senior Commissioner Shinto Silitonga informed here on Friday.

Several houses were also damaged in Wanasalam, Cijaku, Cihara, Cibadak, and Malingping Sub-districts, he said.

Furthermore, one person was injured in a roof collapse, he added.

Lebak Resort Police are still monitoring the public situation and the impact of the disaster, he said.

There have been no reports of building damage in the jurisdictions of the Sectoral Police of Cipanas, Bojong Manik, Cimarga, Panggarangan, Bayah, Rangkasbitung, and Leuwidamar, the senior commissioner noted.

“There is no fatality caused by the disaster so far,” he added.

However, it has been estimated that a resident in Cibadak Sub-district suffered a loss of Rp50 million after her semi-permanent house collapsed, he said.

He then appealed to the public to remain calm and vigilant. People should also keep monitoring official updates on the disaster from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG), he said.

Meanwhile, the head of Banten’s Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), Nana Suryana, said that the agency is continuing to coordinate with BPBD officers in Pandeglang and Lebak Districts.

“We are still recording the damage. We have deployed field teams,” he informed.

Meanwhile, according to the most recent update provided by the head of the emergency and logistics section of Lebak district BPBD, Agus Riza Faizal, 36 buildings, comprising residential houses and school buildings, suffered damage in the quake.

According to BMKG, the quake did not have the potential to trigger a tsunami. However, the tremors were even felt by Jakarta’s residents at Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) III-IV.

MMI III tremors can usually be felt by people indoors and feel akin to a passing truck. Meanwhile, MMI IV tremors can cause windows, doors, and walls to creak.

Source: Antara News

Yogyakarta city will start booster or third dose vaccinations from Monday (January 17, 2022) at three locations—the city hall complex, Pembina state special school, and Diponegoro Monument, the COVID-19 Handling Task Force announced.

“(Booster) vaccinations will start on Monday in three locations, prioritized for older adults and public service officers,” an official from the local task force, Heroe Poerwadi, said here on Friday.

Residents will receive an invitation from village officials, he informed adding, the booster vaccination program will prioritize those whose eligibility has been confirmed by the PeduliLindungi application.

The program will target 3,600 residents on Monday, and each recipient is scheduled to receive an AstraZeneca dose, he said.

“The vaccines we have prepared (for third dose vaccinations) are from Pfizer and AstraZeneca. However, in the early stage, we will use AstraZeneca,” Poerwadi added.

According to the regulations, people who have received the complete Sinovac dose can receive Pfizer, AstraZeneca, or Moderna vaccines for the booster shot, he noted.

“Almost all older adults in Yogyakarta have received complete doses of the Sinovac vaccine,” he said.

Based on data, as many as 24 thousand older adults in the city are targeted to receive the third dose vaccination.

The task force assured that vaccine stocks in Yogyakarta are sufficient for the booster drive.

To boost community immunity against COVID-19, the Indonesian government launched a nationwide vaccination program on January 13, 2021. President Joko Widodo was the first vaccine recipient under the program.

According to data provided by the Health Ministry, as of January 14, 2022, nearly 174,761,411 Indonesians have received their first COVID-19 jab, while 119,191,724 have been fully vaccinated against the virus.

The Indonesian government officially rolled out third dose vaccinations for the public on January 12, 2022, targeting those aged 18 and above who have taken the second dose at least six months ago.

Source: Antara News

National Police chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo appealed to people to refrain from traveling abroad to prevent an increase in Omicron cases in Indonesia.

“If there is nothing urgent, we recommend avoiding traveling abroad. For those returning from abroad, please carry out quarantine obligations properly so that we can keep the whole community from being infected,” Prabowo said in a statement here on Friday.

He made the statement after reviewing COVID-19 vaccinations at Sulamadaha Beach, Ternate city, North Maluku, the same day.

The former Banten Police chief said that regions with vaccination coverage below 70 percent must push immunizations to meet the target set by the central government, though every province in Indonesia faces its own challenges in this matter.

“We understand the various obstacles faced by many regions. Starting from weather factors, geography, then people’s activities. Of course, it takes hard work,” he noted.

Therefore, it is important for all stakeholders and the community to work together in dealing with the Omicron variant to control transmission, he emphasized.

Controlling COVID-19 transmission is important to restart community activities as well as move the economic wheel, he said.

“This requires hard work and cooperation. Please implement the health protocols and immediately seek vaccination for those who have not,” Prabowo reiterated.

During his visit, he also expressed his appreciation to the Governor of North Maluku, Abdul Gani Kasuba, who took part in the vaccination process to demonstrate his support in vaccination acceleration.

“Praise to God, we are very happy that today, together with the Governor, we are witnessing the vaccination acceleration here. We hope this event will accelerate vaccination coverage in the North Maluku region,” he remarked.

Source: Antara News