PALANGKA RAYA – EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATION BUREAU. The Central Kalimantan Task Force for Handling COVID-19, through the Public Communications Team released the progress of handling the COVID-19 pandemic on Friday (4/2/2022) until 03.00 p.m. In the written release, the Central Kalimantan COVID-19 Task Force Team also conveyed information from the Central Covid-19 Handling Task Force regarding the third dose or booster vaccination program.

The Central COVID-19 Handling Task Force said that Indonesia had started this booster vaccination program on January 12, 2022. This program is a further effort from primary vaccination or full dose for 1 time or 2 injections depending on the type of vaccine.

Booster vaccination is an effort to restore decreased immunity and clinical protection in the population found based on the results of the sero survey. Spokesperson for the Covid-19 Handling Task Force, Prof. Wiku Adisasmito explained that booster vaccination is different from the term additional vaccination (additional dose) which may be needed when an individual’s immunity is not formed sufficiently after primary vaccination. This is generally found in people with immune disorders.

“Apart from some of the benefits of booster vaccines for health, booster vaccines can indirectly become capital for strengthening economic recovery,” said Prof. Wiku.

He also further explained, from a health perspective, there are at least 3 important reasons. First, there is a tendency to decrease the number of antibodies since 6 months after vaccination, especially in the midst of the emergence of new COVID-19 variants including the Omicron variant. Referring to the meta-analysis and regression analysis by Fekin et al in 2021, it is known that the effectiveness of 4 vaccines that have received the EUL from WHO has decreased by 8% in activity in the last 6 months in all age groups. In the same period of time for people aged 50 years and over, there was a 10% decrease in the effectiveness of the vaccine and 32% decrease in the effectiveness of the vaccine for preventing symptoms, respectively. Secondly, it is an effort to adapt people to live during the COVID-19 pandemic for long-term health. And the last is to fulfill the right of every Indonesian to access vaccines for both self and community protection.

Meanwhile, from the economic perspective, with the condition of cases that can be suppressed, it can prevent the emergence of a new wave, so that community activities will be more flexible, provided that they remain within the corridor of implementing strict health protocols.

Furthermore, the Central Kalimantan COVID-19 Task Force Team also appealed that in addition to vaccination, the implementation of health protocols as a living habit is a demand in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Some people have complied with health protocols, but there are still others who lack the awareness to apply the 5M principles: wearing masks, washing hands, maintaining distance, avoiding crowds, and reducing mobility.

5M healthy behavior is a very important prevention effort. Everyone must be willing and able to make changes to 5M compliance behavior, so as to prevent the transmission of COVID-19.

Furthermore, in this release, the Central Kalimantan Covid-19 Task Force Team conveyed the accumulated data up to Friday, February 4, 2022, at 03.00 p.m. It was stated that there were 23 additional confirmed cases, namely in Palangka Raya (7 people), East Kotawaringin (1 person), West Kotawaringin (2 people), Sukamara (1 person), Kapuas (10 people), South Barito (1 person), and North Barito (1 person), so it increased from 46,840 people to 46,863 people.

Meanwhile, the patients recovered increased by 4 people, namely in East Kotawaringin (2 people) and Seruyan (2 people), so from 45,152 to 45,156 people. In addition, the patients under treatment increased by 19 people, so from 97 people to 116 people. Death cases did not increase, so there were still 1,591 people, with a mortality rate (CFR) of 3.4%.

Then, the Task Force also mentioned the achievement of the vaccination target of 2,036,104, of which the realization of Dose I Vaccination at the Central Kalimantan Province had reached 88.72%. All regencies/municipality have achieved above 70% of Dose I Vaccination.

In addition, it was also informed that based on Instruction of the Minister of Home Affairs Number 07 of 2022 dated January 31, 2022 on the Implementation of Restrictions on Community Activities at Level 3, Level 2, and Level 1 and Optimizing the Command Post for Handling Corona Virus Disease 2019 at the Village and Sub-District Level to Control the Spread of Corona Virus Disease 2019 in Sumatra, Nusa Tenggara, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku, and Papua, for regencies/municipality in Central Kalimantan Province, have two criteria, namely Level 1 and Level 2 (valid until February 14, 2022).

The regencies/municipality with these criteria, namely Level 1, consisted of West Kotawaringin, South Barito, North Barito, Katingan, Sukamara, Pulang Pisau, and East Barito. Then, for Level 2 consisted of East Kotawaringin, Kapuas, Seruyan, Lamandau, Gunung Mas, Murung Raya, and Palangka Raya.

The Central Kalimantan COVID-19 Handling Task Force team always reminds the entire community to remain disciplined in complying with health protocols and supporting the Government’s efforts to break the chain of the COVID-19 transmission. “For residents who are not aware of the health protocols, remember! 5M is mandatory: wearing masks, washing hands with soap in running water or using hand sanitizers, maintaining distance, avoiding crowds, and reducing mobility. Then, also to be disciplined in carrying out 3T (Testing, Tracing, and Treatment) and immediately get vaccinated so that more people are protected and this COVID-19 will end soon in Central Kalimantan and all over the world,” said the Task Force. (renn/transl.by feb)