Children Vulnerable to More Outbreaks, Warns Indonesian Authorities

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Indonesia’s Covid-19 Task Force has warned of further dire consequences for the country’s children if the government failed to contain the pandemic.

“The Indonesian Pediatric Society [IDAI] warned that babies and small children are vulnerable to a double outbreak. This is an outbreak of another disease in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Covid-19 Task Force spokesperson Reisa Broto Asmoro on Tuesday, June 30.

“The finding is also based on a joint survey between the Indonesian Ministry of Health and UNICEF Indonesia, which found that immunization rates declined due to the Covid-19 pandemic.”

The survey found that the coronavirus pandemic hampered nearly 84 percent of immunization for children throughout Indonesia.

Hampering life as we know it

Reisa admitted that the coronavirus still hampered normal life. “As long as a vaccine for Covid-19 has not been found, normal activities for billions of people will remain crippled,” she noted.

“We have to make the most of means to boost our immune systems that have been created by scientists and epidemiologists. Comprehensively immunizing our children is as vital as ever, even in the middle of this pandemic.”

Abiding by health protocols

As with other aspects of life, Reisa said that application of the vaccines have to abide by health protocols.

“For starters, basic immunization procedures and those that follow it up have to be delivered on schedule. 

“This is done to protect children from illnesses that can be prevented by vaccines, such as polio, smallpox or chickenpox,” she added.

“Second, immunization at public health centers and other health facilities have to abide by the policies of provincial administrations.

“Third, immunization for illnesses, including their reports, must be optimized. And fourth, health protocols must be obeyed, including standing 1.5 meters from one another.”

SHUTTERSTOCK Immunizing children

A surging death toll

Meanwhile, Indonesia recorded a new single day death toll, with 71 dead from Covid-19.