Malang, (malangkota.go.id) – Reflecting on previous cases, almost always after a long holiday there is a spike in positive Covid-19 cases. This has prompted the government to make various efforts to suppress the potential for another spike in cases, such as shortening holidays/joint leave and making a policy prohibiting homecoming.
On Monday (24/5/2021), three health experts discussed this issue through the East Java Dynamics program: Anticipating the Spike in Covid-19 Cases After Eid Holiday via Radio Suara Sidoarjo.
Chairman of the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI) of East Java, Dr. dr. Sutrisno. Sp. OG (K) said that the corona virus is a very intelligent virus that can mutate from one human to another. Its transmission is also specific, through crowds and its transmission is very simple, the most significant is through the respiratory tract.
"So if there is a crowd, we exhale air and droplet fluids and there is the virus, then when we don't wear a mask, it means that the virus is scattered everywhere and other people will be infected," he continued.
Indonesia has a tradition of 'gathering' that is hard to eliminate. Even though the Lebaran homecoming ban has been enforced, it turns out that many people still 'force' themselves to go home in various ways.
"From a health perspective, it doesn't matter whether it's homecoming or not, as long as people gather, whatever their motive, it has the potential to transmit. Based on the latest report, although it is temporary because there is no valid data, it is stated that the number of Covid-19 has increased," he said.
Those who have increased sharply are those who need ICU, meaning the number increases with severe symptoms. Those who are not severe will stay at home or may survive to not be felt. Once it is down and enters the advanced or severe category, it will require high care to intensive care. So that currently the ICU which is not as much as the usual room is the prima donna.
"However, we are waiting for time and data from hospitals and the Ministry of Health, so that this statement can be verified with numbers," explained this obstetrician and gynecologist.
Currently, there are 394 hospitals with around 45.000 beds. In addition, there are also Field Hospitals developed by local governments to accommodate cases of people without symptoms (OTG), mild cases, or moderate cases where the patients can still do activities independently. "However, what needs to be worried about is the ICU with very limited ventilators while the procurement of ventilators is also complicated, expensive, and requires competent personnel," said Dr. Sutrisno.
Meanwhile, Dr. Ni Made Sukartini, SE., M. Si, Pioneer of the Health Economics Masters Study Program, Unair Postgraduate School, revealed that based on the data, there are indications that new cases are starting to emerge, especially due to various community activities and the return of migrant workers from abroad also has the potential to become a medium for transmitting new variants.
"From the health economic side, we are aware of the very high impact. Some workers have to be laid off because they anticipate the rapid spread, factories are closed, the tourism industry is destroyed, we realize together that the economic impact is real," explained Dr. Made.
Dr. Made also reminded that this danger is not for oneself but can have a national impact, the economy will be disrupted, the potential of human resources cannot be optimized, of course causing the country to need a bigger budget to resolve this pandemic.
Regarding the mutation of the new variant of Covid-19, Prof. Dr. Theresia Indah Budhy S., drg, M. Kes KPS Immunology Postgraduate School Unair said that this virus can damage RNA and DNA which are easily changed. "If our body is not good, then the virus in the body will also change. This is what causes problems," she said.
If yesterday the virus was type A, for example, then because the virus has entered the host cell and is influenced by behavior, lifestyle, demographics, and the environment, this virus can mutate into a new variant with new symptoms and new characteristics.
Prof. Theresia stated that people are now starting to think that the virus is gone or feel that they are immune because they have been vaccinated. In fact, its nature is specific to certain viruses, so it will not affect other variants of the virus. What needs to be improved is maintaining the natural immune system, by maintaining a healthy lifestyle, good diet, and getting enough sleep, and balanced with compliance with health protocols.
This variant has also entered East Java. The public must be socialized that there is now a new variant that is more dangerous and can enter the lungs directly. "If the lungs are affected, it is definitely more dangerous than entering through the nasal mucosa which has a longer incubation period. It seems that this variant has a faster incubation period and there is no vaccine yet," he continued.
Dr. Sutrisno added information that there have been 18 cases of the new variant, which came from people who had just traveled from abroad. "Whether this pandemic is over or not depends on the community. If we want it to end, please comply with health protocols," concluded Dr. Sutrisno.
Until now, the public's views are still divided, because many of them believe more in the hoax information circulating so that scientific principles. In fact, history says that science has saved civilization. One of the references that can be read related to Covid-19 can be obtained through several e-books that can be downloaded for free through the East Java IDI website. (ari/ram)
