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Moving from Pandemic to Endemic

Experts project that this pandemic will gradually become endemic. Therefore, early on, we prepare a roadmap so that we can deal with the endemic more smoothly without turmoil. The next step after the second wave of Covid-19 subsides is to continue to put health into priority (healthy oriented). Lessons from the imposition of restrictions on community activities deserve to become a stepping stone on the road map to endemic. It turns out that strict and measurable restrictions on activities can ease the rampage of the corona, so that it can open up opportunities for economic revival. This must have related with the government's attitude that is more open to receiving suggestions and criticism. The current restriction is clearly a more healthy-oriented policy, which is different from the misguided economic-oriented policy that was implemented at the beginning of the pandemic. At that time the government did not close the door to arrivals from abroad, desperately invited foreign tourists, financed buzzers, there was indifferent and slow response of the health authorities, the lack of tracing and testing, and the lack of concern for the heavy burden of health workers and health filities.

Overcoming Omicron and Future Variants

We all have the same hope: that Covid-19, which has infected 400 million people and claimed 5.8 million lives on planet Earth, will become an ordinary, mild disease, or even disappear from the face of the Earth. Don't take Omicron lightly. The impact of this variant is indeed not as severe as the Delta variant because the majority have mild symptoms. The transmission of Omicron has been very "hot" and our country is starting to be disrupted by a surge in Covid-19 cases. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared Omicron (B.1.1.529) as a variant of concern (VoC) on 26 Nov. 2021. Invading the world over like a blitzkrieg, the number of Omicron cases is rising rapidly. In fact, the daily global increase is now 4-5 times (around 3 million cases) the peak of the Delta variant (around 750,000). Death rates followed. If the peak of Delta reached a fatality rate of 11,000 deaths per day, today Omicron kills 12,000 per day.

Chemical Components of Fungus Comb from Indo-Malayan Termite Macrotermes gilvus Hagen Mound and Its Bioactivity against Wood-Staining Fungi

Abstract Recently, the architectural and physical properties of the fungus comb from subterranean termite Macrotermes gilvus Hagen (Isoptera: Termitidae) mounds had been studied and it is important to determine its chemical profile as well as to evaluate its anti-staining-fungi activity. The results showed that fungus comb of M. gilvus has a high crude ash (30.57%), fiber (25.46%), starch (7.76%), protein (5.80%, 5.53% amino acid), acid-insoluble ash (3.45%), and fat (0.73%). It also contained phenol hydroquinone, steroids, terpenoids, and saponin compounds. Seventeen amino acids were identified via high-performance liquid chromatography analysis, of which arginine, leucine, glutamate, and aspartic acid were the majority. According to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis, the n-hexane extract consists of several types of fatty acid derivatives. Meanwhile, the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) extracts were primarily phenol groups with 1,2,3-propanetriol (glycerol) at the highest relative concentration.

A rare case: Vesicoureteral reflux in Indonesian young adult with neurogenic bladder and chronic kidney disease stage 4

Abstract Background: Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is one of the main causes of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in adolescence and young adult. It can be a congenital or an acquired anomaly and its uncommon in adult life.Case presentation: A 19th years old male with neurogenic bladder, VUR grade 4, CKD stage 4, malnutrition, and short stature. Radiological examinations show a spastic neurogenic bladder, cystitis, right VUR grade 4. Abdominal ultrasonography (USG) results were bilateral severe hydronephrosis due to post-renal causes. This patient had a history of myelocele excision at the age of 1.5 years. He had recurrent urinary tract infection with CKD stage 4.Discussion: The diagnosis of VUR and neurogenic bladder in CKD stage 4 is a rare case in nephrology.Conclusion: Indonesian male confirms of diagnosis VUR grade 4, neurogenic bladder, and CKD stage 4.Keywords: Vesicoureteral reflux, Neurogenic bladder, Chronic kidney disease

Learning from New Variant Breaking into the Country's Gates

If the government is serious about tightening the mobility of citizens, the entry gate for foreign nationals should also be strictly guarded. Because, through the country's gate, a new variant of the virus from abroad enters. The "half-hearted lockdown" policy must face the harsh reality. When the implementation of the emergency community activity restrictions (PPKM) was almost over, the Covid-19 rampage was even more intense. The optimism of the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Pandjaitan, who was appointed by President Jokowi as the commander to lead this special mission to deal with the second wave of Covid-19, was wrong. Instead of gently sloping towards the target of below 10,000 cases of transmission per day, it skyrocketed beyond 50,000. On July 15, 2021, the daily number of positive cases was 56,757 and 982 cases died. In fact, when the emergency PPKM began to be implemented on July 3, 2021, there were "new" 27,913 cases and 493 deaths. More than double!