New Hope After the Covid-19 Vaccine

Over time, the research of scientists around the world has finally produced a number of vaccine prototypes that are expected to cope with a pandemic that has lasted almost a year around the world. Thus, there is great hope that the prospect of life will soon recover.

Sinovac is one of the vaccines being tested by researchers in Indonesia and other parts of the world. Good news also comes from pharmaceutical manufacturer Pfizer and German biotechnology company BioNTech, which are testing a vaccine that is said to have up to 90% effectiveness. In the UK the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca have also developed a similar vaccine. Efforts to create vaccines are also being carried out in other countries. These various vaccine choices will make it easier for consumers to determine which one is the most successful, considering that each certainly has advantages and disadvantages.

The longer this pandemic lasts, the greater the impact that must be suffered by society. The death toll continues to fall, especially in high-risk groups, namely those who are elderly or have a number of congenital diseases. Health workers on the front lines are people who are very vulnerable to infection. More than 100 doctors have died from Covid-19. If there was no pandemic, many things could be contributed to the community from these victims.

During the nine months of the pandemic in Indonesia which began in March 2020, the public has learned to understand the characteristics of this virus. They are able to distinguish between fear and caution. Thus, it can reduce the risk of contracting the Covid-19 virus. The community has been active outside by paying attention to health protocols. Unfortunately there are those who have neglected to act as if nothing happened. They become a high-risk group who can be infected at any time and pass it on to other people. With a better understanding, some public activities or economic activities have started to run. This reduces the pressure generated by people who do not dare to leave the house. Small and micro businesses have been running. Some of them went bankrupt when large-scale social restriction (PSBB) policies were implemented. However, new businesses have also grown from workers who have been terminated (PHK). Even so, the purchasing power has yet to recover as before because people do not have money or are careful in spending their money. Large businesses in certain sectors are still experiencing great pressure, such as transportation, tourism, hotels or other businesses that were directly affected by Covid-19 which eventually had to close or reduce their activities. Many businesses rely partly on funding from loans. When their income decreased due to Covid-19, their ability to pay loan installments decreased. Some employees had to be laid off.

Religious activities at the mosque are already underway. The Friday prayers, which were previously abolished, are now running normally by following health protocols. Religious activities such as majelis taklim or recitation of recitation have also been running in various places. The Saudi Arabian government has permitted a limited number of Umrah pilgrimages. The hope is that for 2021, the pilgrimage can be carried out normally as before. Hajj is a form of worship that complements the pillars of Islam. Many Muslims aspire to the once in a lifetime undertaking the pilgrimage.

Parents are still waiting for the school to open after nine months of closing. The home learning policy is considered less effective than the direct interaction between teachers and students in the classroom. Students feel tired and stressed because in a day they have to deal with cellphone screens or computer monitors while learning outcomes are minimal. For students at the elementary or madrasah ibtidaiyah level, parents still have to accompany their children to study online while they are also busy with work.

Most of the pesantren have opened their education services. There are several clusters for the spread of Covid-19. However, reports have shown that they can return to good health. The success of vaccine discovery will reduce or even eliminate the risk of transmission of the virus.

The world has gone through various pandemics that have killed millions of people but all of them are able to pass. Groups that are vulnerable to becoming victims are the poor, those with poor health, or other vulnerable groups. They need to get more protection than the established groups who can afford and know how to protect themselves. Given the low access to government policies, they need to get advocacy so that policies from the government are friendly to the interests of the poor.

May the tireless work of scientists to create an antidote to this dangerous virus soon to fruition. Millions of lives were saved from disease, millions of lives were saved from starvation due to paralyzed economic activity. In these deserted laboratories, their contributions to the advancement of science and civilization were inscribed. Unlimited appreciation must be paid for the dedication they have given to saving humanity from this terrifying pandemic. (Achmad Mukafi Niam)

Source: https://www.nu.or.id/post/read/124632/harapan-baru-setelah-adanya-vaksin-covid-19