Jakarta –
The COVID-19 pandemic is likely to become endemic in Indonesia. The Minister of Communications and Information, Johnny G. Plate said, to anticipate the change in the status of COVID-19, the entire community must be active in maintaining discipline in wearing masks and hastening vaccinations.
“The instrument that is sufficient to distinguish between pandemics and endemics is predictability. After becoming endemic, the spread of the outbreak is more predictable, so we can draw up anticipatory measures. So, even though we will live with COVID-19 for a long time, the situation will be more under control, ” he said in a written statement, Friday (3/9/2021).
Johnny added that other health protocols, such as keeping a distance and washing hands regularly are also important.
“Using masks and vaccinating are not two separate things. Both must go hand in hand in our efforts to defeat COVID-19. Not only do they serve to provide protection and prevention, using masks and vaccinations are also very important to avoid fatal impacts if exposed to COVID-19. “With the cooperation of all parties to discipline with masks and hasten vaccinations, the government is very optimistic that COVID-19 in Indonesia can turn into an endemic,” he said.
Professor of Public Health at the University of Indonesia, Hasbullah Thabrany also stated that the pandemic could turn into an endemic. According to him, the determination is just waiting for the WHO to issue these standards.
“Anyone can get this endemic disease. In order not to get infected, it’s simple. Wear a mask. Apart from that, wash your hands clean, keep your distance, and always be aware that people around you are at risk of carrying the virus. So self-discipline is the key,” he said.
It is known, since March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) has designated COVID-19 as a pandemic due to its exponential spread globally. Therefore, COVID-19 is not categorized as an epidemic because it is not limited to a single geographic area.
WHO also stated that COVID-19 will be classified as endemic in the future, like malaria or dengue fever. COVID-19 can be categorized as endemic if it continues to be present constantly in populations in certain geographic areas with more predictable levels and patterns of transmission.
In addition to the WHO, a number of countries have also agreed that COVID-19 has the potential to become endemic. One of them is Malaysia, which has invited all its citizens to prepare for the possibility of living with COVID-19 as an endemic.
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