UNS — Since it was first confirmed by the Indonesian Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) last Thursday (16/12/2021), Omicron cases in the country have continued to grow. The latest update on Monday (12/27/2021) shows that the number of Omicron cases in Indonesia has reached 46. These data were obtained after the Ministry of Health conducted a Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) test on the samples under examination.
The Omicron cases spike in Indonesia attracted public attention immediately since the cases increased after 110,620,807 Indonesian citizens received their 2nd dose of Covid-19 vaccination. Additionally, public concerns about Omicron began to emerge because news circulated that the Covid-19 vaccines, which are currently available, were not effective against Omicron. So, is it true?
A Clinical Pathology Specialist in Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Hospital, Surakarta, dr. Tonang Dwi Ardyanto, Sp.PK(K), Ph.D., FISQua ., states that the current Covid-19 vaccine only focuses on severe symptoms and death. If we wish to get a Covid-19 vaccine that can prevent infection in the upper respiratory tract, of course, it will take longer. “In countries facing Omicron, for example, the UK, vaccination coverage is already high. When Omicron spread, numerically, it was greater than the number of vaccinated groups. However, if it is proportional or in percentage, it (the Omicron case) is more than the group that has not been vaccinated,” explained dr. Tonang, Monday (12/27/2021).
Considering the rapid increase in Omicron cases in the UK, he explained that the risk of a Covid-19 vaccinated person being hospitalized when infected with Omicron is only 31-45 percent. Meanwhile, for those who have not received their Covid-19 vaccine shots, the risk of undergoing hospitalization in an isolation room when infected with Omicron increases to 50-70 percent.
dr. Tonang added that the Omicron hospitalization percentage for a vaccinated person was lower compared to the Delta variant, which spread in the middle of this year. “Meanwhile, for those recovering from Covid-19 infection but yet to get vaccinated, the risk is 11 percent compared to the Delta variant. This means that it is 4-7 times higher than the vaccinated group against Covid-19,” added dr. Tonang.
If you look at the Covid-19 vaccination coverage in Indonesia, the percentage of complete vaccine injections had reached 40.65 percent. Around 17 percent of the people have just received the first dosage, while around 42.3 percent have not received any dosage of Covid-19 vaccine. Based on this data, dr. Tonang is worried that the un-vaccinated groups against Covid-19 will be more prone to contracting Omicron.
“One point to remember is that the person who gets infected faster is the one with the laxest health protocol, those who do not wear a mask and do not wash their hands regularly. For those who have antibodies, the virus will clear faster. However, those who have yet to develop the antibodies against Covid-19 will need 14 days for the virus to disappear after the initial infection,” said dr. Tonang.
Do we need to use a booster?
Because the currently available Covid-19 vaccines are still not able to prevent people from the new SARS-CoV-2 variant, there has been discoursed for a booster shot(s). On a side note, the booster is different from the third dose, which many people have misinterpreted. Booster is an additional vaccine to ensure that the two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine that have been injected have formed immunity. Meanwhile, the third dose is a vaccine that must be injected and is the central part of the Covid-19 vaccine, like the first and second doses.
Furthermore, dr. Tonang said that the necessity of injecting a booster needs further investigation, considering that the report is still based on laboratory research. “We called it in vitro. Nothing wrong; however, a careful interpretation in the field is needed. The reports (on booster shots) are from countries with 70-80 percent vaccination rate, but in Indonesia, it is only around 40 percent,” added dr. Tonang.
He said, even though someone is at risk of contracting Omicron, it does not mean the effectiveness of the Covid-19 vaccine is lost. dr. Tonang dismissed this assumption and emphasized that the effectiveness of the Covid-19 vaccine was only decreasing. Instead of focusing on discussing the need for boosters, dr. Tonang asked the government to immediately intensify the injection of the second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. “This is more important, more meaningful, and has a stronger communal effect against whatever Covid-19 variants that still exist and may exist,” he added.
When can a booster be given?
dr. Tonang explained that the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Indonesian Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) agreed that booster injections could be carried out when 50 percent of the population had been vaccinated against Covid-19. “Using an assumption that the proportion of survivors who have not been vaccinated is around 20 percent, most of the survivors have been vaccinated, then with 50 percent vaccination rate along with the 20 percent vaccinated survivor, vaccination rate can reach around 70 percent,” said dr. Tonang.
After reaching this percentage, he said the Ministry of Health could consider delivering a booster, given that the primary Covid-19 vaccination must still be carried out and boosters are addressed for high-risk groups.
“With the average speed of administering vaccines in the last seven days, we can reach 50 percent vaccination rate in about 30-50 days,” he concluded. Humas UNS
Reporter: YCS Sanjaya
Editor: Dwi Hastuti
