The WGS process to detect variants of the coronavirus, which earlier took a fortnight, is sought to be expedited to a week, according to a press statement from the COVID-19 Task Force in Jakarta, Friday.
Spokesperson for the COVID-19 Task Force, Prof. Wiku Adisasmito, remarked that the WGS results would serve as an input for the government in formulating policies to stem the spread of the disease.
"The WGS results are used to control the distribution of the COVID-19 variant that spreads to various regions in Indonesia," he noted.
Adisasmito believes that the faster the inspection period, the quicker the data needed to formulate appropriate handling policies will be obtained.
The spokesperson expounded that the WGS examination was not conducted on all cases of COVID-19 transmission but only in certain cases.
"For instance, cases with unusual symptoms as well as cases in foreign travelers and others," Adisasmito clarified.
He also stressed on the significance of applying health protocols to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 variants.
"There is no other way as good as the discipline of health protocols. That is why we can break the chain of transmission effectively and efficiently," he affirmed.
"Those, who are sick and infected, should undergo treatment according to procedures to speed up recovery," the spokesperson noted. Related news: Minister urges returning migrant workers to undergo genome sequencing
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Translator: Andi F, Azis Kurmala
Editor: Suharto
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