"In principle, we want to maintain the antibody levels as optimally as possible for all people. Currently, most of them already have antibodies," he remarked when confirmed by phone on Friday.
According to Soebandrio, the serology surveys to measure the community's antibody levels to the risk of COVID-19 infection reported that 90 percent of the population in Indonesia had acquired immunity through vaccinations as well as naturally-formed immunity after COVID-19 infection.
However, he reminded the community that based on the results of researchers' analysis, the body's immunity can decrease several months after. The Ministry of Health has forecast that the community's immunity will decrease in early 2023.
Soebandrio, former head of the Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology, stated that the World Health Organization (WHO) had highlighted the importance of vaccination.
"The WHO stated that getting vaccinated once or twice is better than not being vaccinated at all," he remarked.
He encouraged the community to get the vaccine according to the schedule and to not be picky over vaccines or indulge in "vaccine shopping."
As part of the efforts to boost the community's immunity, the Indonesian government launched a nationwide vaccination program on January 13, 2021, targeting as many as 234,666,020 citizens.
The data provided by the COVID-19 Handling Task Force showed that as of October 6, 2022, as many as 204,667,222 Indonesians received the first vaccine dose, 171,286,846 were administered the second dose, 63,920,103 had taken the third dose or first booster, and 632,925 had received the fourth dose or second booster.
According to the Data and Information Center of the Health Ministry, the daily confirmed COVID-19 cases in the last two weeks has decreased consistently, from 2,298 to 1,692 cases per day.
Most districts and cities in Indonesia are experiencing a decline in COVID-19 cases or are at the level 1 of public activity restrictions (PPKM). However, five provinces of West Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, East Nusa Tenggara, North Maluku, and the Bangka Belitung Islands still recorded the highest increase in cases nationally.
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Translator: Andi Firdaus, Raka Adji
Editor: Sri Haryati
Copyright © ANTARA 2022
