Pandu Riono, an epidemiologist from the University of Indonesia, who was involved in the study, said that the researcher found almost half of Jakarta’s population had been infected with Covid-19 but likely without symptoms.
According to the study estimation, 4.7 million out of 10.6 million Jakarta residents have had Covid-19.
A study also found some groups are more susceptible to catching the virus than others.
Most of the infected people aged 30-49 years, Pandu said. Infection in the female group was higher (47.9 percent), and the unmarried group had a lower risk of infection (39.8 percent).
The researchers conducted the serological survey using a stratified sampling method, taking blood samples from 5,000 people in 100 urban wards in six of Jakarta’s city districts.
The participants include 4,919 people aged 1 year or older — with those in the age group of 1-14 years accounted for 21.6 percent of the participants, 15-49 years (52 percent), and 50+ years (26.4 percent). About 54 percent of the participants were female, and 46 percent were female.
The World Health Organization estimates that 60 percent of the population having the antibody against the SARS-CoV-2 virus should be enough to establish herd immunity against Covid-19.
Still, Pandu said a hed immunity in Jakarta could remain elusive as the city would see many visitors from parts of the country with lower vaccination or immunity level.
He said there’s a possibility that Covid-19 would become endemic and said the city must get used to assessing risks and maintaining discipline health protocols in everyday lives.
