From the results of the latest antibody serological survey, it has revealed that 99.2 percent of Indonesians already have antibodies from the SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19 virus.
According to Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin, the antibodies have been caused by vaccinations and previous COVID-19 infections. He also pointed out that antibody levels had increased from the previous range of 500-600 to the current level of 7,000-8,000.
“This shows that people don’t just have antibodies but have high antibody levels. So that if they get infected by the virus, their immune systems can quickly deal with it, and reduce the risk of being hospitalised, let alone the risk of dying,” explained Sadikin.
A similar survey was carried out by Indonesia at the end of last year, in November and December 2021. At that time, it was revealed that the Indonesian people already had 86.6 percent antibodies.
Of that number, 74 percent were reported to have antibodies but had not received previous vaccinations and so was caused by COVID-19 infections.
“This is because they were infected with COVID-19, either they knew or didn’t know they were infected,” explained Iwan Ariawan from the Public Health Faculty at the University of Indonesia, in March 2022.
Ariawan added that individuals who had been vaccinated had much higher antibodies therefore vaccinations would benefit the population with increasing antibodies.