Medical Association Asks Gov't Not to Rush to Declare COVID-19 as Endemic

TheIndonesia.co - The Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) Lampung region says the government shouldn’t rush to declare national endemic status for COVID-19 and suggest authorities to wait for further instructions from the World Health Organization (WHO) before making adjustments to the current regulation.

Vice president of IDI Lampung Boy Zaghlul said since COVID-19 pandemic is a global matter, the Indonesian government shouldn’t make major decisions related to it, including declaring endemic status, without basing it on WHO’s recommendations.

“We hope [the government] doesn’t rush to declare national endemic status and wait for official announcement from the WHO because this is an international issue,” Zaghlul said on Sunday, March 13, as reported by Antara.

He suggested the government to put more focus into determining pockets of COVID-19 outbreak based on health aspects, such as regional level status, number of infection, vaccination rate, and bed occupancy rate prior to changing the status from pandemic to endemic.

By easing some restrictions, including waiving mandatory COVID-19 tests for domestic travelers, the Indonesian government can have the opportunity to examine whether the public will continue to strictly implement health protocols amid the leniency.

If it results in unwanted situation, Zaghlul expects the government to immediately re-adjust the regulation.

IDI Lampung also acknowledges that the plan to announce endemic status is related closely to the economic recovery effort; however, public health should remain a priority.

Talks about making COVID-19 endemic have begun in Indonesia, and the Indonesian government has started lifting a number of COVID-related restrictions in the country.

Last week, the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan announced that antigen and PCR tests will no longer be mandatory for domestic travelers who have been double-jabbed.

“Domestic travelers traveling in the air and on the ground who are fully vaccinated no longer have to show negative antigen or PCR test result,” he said on March 7, adding that the decision was taken as part of the transitioning process to normality.

Meanwhile, Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) said it welcomed the government’s plan to shift COVID-19 status from pandemic to endemic as it’s predicted to trigger national economic growth.

“Business actors are waiting for the government’s decision on when the endemic status will be declared. [We] hope that it can be announced in the middle of March 2022, so business can get advantage from the Ramadan and Idul Fitri momentum,” Kadin deputy chairman Sarman Simanjorang said on March 8.