VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Indonesian Government is anticipating the likelihood of the COVID-19 pandemic becoming endemic based on scientific research, Head of Fiscal Policy at the Finance Ministry Febrio Kacaribu has said.

"Of course, we will continue to anticipate every latest development. (The question is) How should we prepare ourselves as an economic nation," he said during an online discussion here on Wednesday.

Kacaribu was referring to a Nature Magazine survey of 119 immunologists, infectious-disease researchers, and virologists in 23 countries.

"When asked about how likely do you think that SARS-CoV-2 will become an endemic virus, 89 percent of them answered that it is very likely to become endemic," Kacaribu highlighted.

The government must hence remain focused on protecting the public's safety in confronting the risk and the uncertainty of COVID-19, he added.

The steps that have been implemented to prepare for living with the pandemic involve making the 5Ms -- masking, hand washing, social distancing, crowd avoidance, mobility reduction -- a culture, and intensifying the implementation of the 3Ts -- testing, tracing, treatment, he informed.

Creating a reliable and prepared health system is also a step that has been implemented, he added.

Kacaribu noted that the government will also expedite the vaccination program since this is the main strategy for ensuring sustainable recovery.

Indonesia is experiencing an outstanding development in vaccination acceleration, he said.

Vaccinations have crossed one million on average per day in Indonesia to the point where the country has been ranked ninth in vaccination realization in the world, he added.

"This is something that we continue to push since we cannot be satisfied with 1.15 million per day as of August 17 (2021)," he remarked.

The government is targeting to vaccinate around 70 percent of Indonesia's total population, or 208 million people, by the end of the year so that citizens confidence in carrying out activities can improve.  (Antaranews)