A very high portion of Indonesians have antibodies to deal with the COVID-19 transmission, according to a serological survey conducted by the country’s health ministry and the Faculty of Public Health of the University of Indonesia.
The survey found that 98.5% of the Indonesian population had antibodies as of July, compared to around 88% the survey found in December 2021.
“People get these antibodies through vaccination, infection, or both,” said Iwan Ariawan, one of the researchers, in a virtual press conference yesterday.
The situation is in line with an increase in vaccination coverage, including the administering of booster doses since Jan. 12.
The discipline of health protocols remains important, Ariawan added, as a high percentage of the population having antibodies does not guarantee that people will not be infected with COVID-19 but only reduces the severity and mortality.
The survey was conducted on more than 17,000 respondents in 100 districts in Indonesia by questionnaires and blood tests.
