Jakarta (ANTARA) – Epidemiologist from Andalas University, Padang, West Sumatra, Defriman Djafri has called on the government to step up screening, testing, tracing and Whole Genome Sequence (WGS) analysis to suppress the spread of the COVID-19 Omicron variant in the country.

“This strategy is to ensure that we can identify quickly, and identified cases should be strictly quarantined, as the Omicron variant can spread faster than other variants,” Djafri said when contacted by ANTARA here. Sunday.

Omicron, which is included as a variant of concern (VOC), he continued, requires serious manipulation to eradicate it.

Djafri also asked the public to continue to strictly apply health protocols in their daily lives, always wearing masks, maintaining distance and washing their hands, as well as limiting non-essential travel.

“Strict implementation of health protocols is currently the cheapest and most effective solution to contain transmission,” he said.

Djafri added that the public should not be negligent in implementing health protocols even if they have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

“Even if people have been vaccinated, people should not be ignorant and feel immune to the virus by not wearing masks or implementing the health protocols they have in place until present to reduce the risk of transmission,” he said.

The Department of Health previously reported that two of Omicron’s confirmed COVID-19 patients had died.

These two cases are the first deaths in Indonesia due to Omicron, a new variant with a fairly high transmission rate.

“One patient who was affected by local transmission died at Sari Asih Ciputat Hospital and another who was a foreign traveler, he died at Sulianti Saroso Hospital,” the Ministry of Health spokeswoman said. Health, Siti Nadia Tarmizi.

Since December 15, 1,161 cases of Omicron infection have been reported in Indonesia.

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