TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - In response to the positive COVID-19 result of Sleman Regent Sri Purnomo, the Health Ministry suspected that Sri had already contracted the coronavirus before his inoculation.

“If we observe the time sequence, it is highly possible that when the regent was vaccinated, the virus was in the incubation period. He was already infected but had no symptoms,” said the ministry’s spokesperson for vaccination, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, in a written statement on Friday, Jan. 22.

Nadia said the time between the exposure and the appearance of symptoms or the viral load tended to peak at around 5-6 days. “However, this incident is reported as an Adverse Event Following Immunization (AEFI).”

The Sinovac vaccine, she reiterated, contains an inactivated virus so it will be impossible to cause someone to get infected. It has been emphasized since the beginning that the immunization requires two jabs.

“The first injection aims at triggering the initial immune response. The second injection aims at strengthening the immune response that has been formed. This triggers an antibody response that is faster and more effective in the future,” Nadia explained

Sri Purnomo tested positive one week after being vaccinated. He was undergoing self-isolation at his official residence. Nadia claimed the regent was in good health and did not develop any symptoms. Thus, the vaccination program would be resumed as planned.

Nadia further asserted that the public was still obliged to implement the health protocols albeit having been vaccinated. Efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the 3M health protocols, the 3T (testing, tracing, and treatment), and vaccination must be conducted simultaneously.

Read: Sleman Regent Tests COVID-19 Positive One Week After Vaccinated

EGI ADYATAMA