Lombok, W Nusa Tenggara The current increase in COVID-19 cases must be responded to with high-level vigilance by strengthening the protection of vulnerable people, including children, Deputy Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Lestari Moerdijat has said.
“Several preventive measures against COVID-19 spread must be increased again through various ways,” she stressed in a statement received here on Saturday.
Moerdijat made the statement in response to data from the COVID-19 Handling Task Force, which pegged the number of COVID-19 cases recorded this week at over 38 thousand. The figure showed a 15-fold increase compared to early June 2022, when the number of cases stood at around 2 thousand.
She said that the increasing threat of COVID-19 must become a serious concern for stakeholders because not all vulnerable people, such as older adults and children, have received the booster vaccine.
Moreover, currently, monkeypox has spread to several countries, she added.
The MPR deputy speaker expressed the hope that stakeholders in the central and regional governments will immediately prepare anticipatory measures and evaluate policies that can stem COVID-19 transmission in the country.
Booster vaccinations for vulnerable groups, such as children, need to be accelerated by formulating a policy as soon as possible, she said.
“The readiness of face-to-face learning must be ensured by following the health protocols as required in each region,” she added.
The current increase in COVID-19 cases must be responded to with a spirit of unity in complying with every policy to prevent the spread of COVID-19, she said.
The first case of COVID-19 in Indonesia was confirmed in March 2020. According to data from the COVID-19 Handling Task Force, as of August 5, 2022, the nation has recorded 6,235,244 COVID-19 cases, 6,027,872 recoveries, and 157,072 deaths.
Source: Antara News