Forty-four percent of Jakarta residents have developed immunity to the coronavirus because a majority of them have been exposed to COVID-19, head of Jakarta’s Health Service, Widyastuti, has informed.

In a statement released here on Friday, she noted that the figure was based on the results of a serology survey issued in March 2021. The sample collection period for the survey was December 2020 to January 2021, she said.

“This is despite the fact that, when the data was collected, nobody had been vaccinated yet. This means that Jakarta residents have naturally formed immunity because they were infected,” she explained.

The current herd immunity rate is increasing due to COVID-19 vaccinations, she highlighted.

The first dose vaccination coverage in Jakarta has reached 11,079,640, with 67 percent of the recipients holding Jakarta identity cards (KTPs) and 33 percent having non-Jakarta KTP.

Meanwhile, 8,944,272 people have received their second dose, with 70 percent holding Jakarta KTP and 30 percent having non-Jakarta KTP.

“We received another good batch of vaccines, so many Jakarta residents received their second dose. Their natural immunity was formed due to infection and vaccination,” Widyastuti affirmed.

She said she expects that the realization of herd immunity would reduce the risk of COVID-19 exposure.

“A majority of people died because they were exposed (to the virus), developed severe symptoms, and had not yet been vaccinated. Other factors included comorbidity,” she pointed out.

Residents who have only received their first dose can still contract COVID-19 so they are not 100-percent protected, she pointed out.

Earlier, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan had claimed that the COVID-19 situation in the capital is under control and that there is collective immunity in Jakarta.

Source: Antara News