goodmorningpapua.com – The Papua Provincial Health Office invoked to the public to continue with the second dose of vaccination following the development of Covid-19 cases which continued to climb.
This is based on a letter from the Ministry of Health in observing the current development of Covid-19 cases in Indonesia, which tends to continue to rise. Meanwhile, the rate of vaccination in some areas is starting to slow down.
This condition requires an effort to accelerate the Covid-19 vaccination, including the implementation of a follow-up vaccination (booster), so that community immunity (herd immunity) is immediately formed.
A Head of Disease Prevention and Control (BP3) of the Papua Health Service, doctor Aaron Rumainum noted that around 2,836 residents had not received the second dose of Covid-19 vaccine as of February 20, 2022.
“So for citizens who have not received the second dose of vaccine, please continue. There is no need to re-vaccinate, later the second vaccine will be given by Moderna, Pfizer or Astra Zeneca,” said Aaron Rumainum, Wednesday, February 23, 2022.
Meanwhile, the spokesman for the Papua Covid-19 Task Force, doctor Silwanus Sumule, revealed that based on research, the first injection given had not reached the optimal level of antibodies formed yet.
As stated by him, the average limit for the first and second injections is different. For example, for Sinovac 28 days vaccine, Sinopharm vaccine 21 days, AstraZeneca 12 weeks, Moderna 28 days, Pfizer vaccine 21 days.
“Why do we say 28 days, because in 28 days the antibody levels will go down again, although it will decrease slightly, but with time it will decrease, so we have to increase it again by taking a second injection,” he explained.
From the results of the study, continued Silwanus, in the course of time the immunity formed will also decrease, so it is necessary to do a Booster or injecting the third stage of the vaccine.
“The Booster in the study said it would last 1-6 years, the concentration of the highest levels of antibodies formed as a result of the injection,” said Silwanus.
He advised people not to travel if they had just received the first dose of vaccine. This is because the body’s immune system has not reached its maximum point yet and is vulnerable to contracting Covid-19.
“If people only inject the first (vaccine) just to be able to travel, it is not wise, because it will endanger themselves. If they pass the time limit for the first injection, they can immediately continue with the second injection,” he explained.