JAYAPURA, SUARAPAPUA.com— The Twelve (XII) Diakonia Team of the GKI Synod in Papua in collaboration with a Unicef representative team held a Covid-19 Vaccination counseling in the hall of the GKI Synod Office in Argapura, Jayapura City, Papua, Friday (10/9/2021).
The team consisting of 12 members was formed by the GKI Synod Board in Tanah Papua to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic situation. Especially during the implementation of restrictions on community activities at level 4. A similar team was also followed up at GKI’s presbyteries in Tanah Papua.
Dr. Paul Manupil from Unicef in his presentation of material on vaccination hoped that counselling participants who had not been vaccinated would immediately get vaccinated. According to him, vaccines are important to increase the body’s immune system in dealing with Covid-19.
“If many people are vaccinated, the number of people exposed to Covid-19 will decrease. Vaccines are important, so that we are not like today who have to always apply health protocols. Like in America, Canada, Singapore. There people have taken off their masks. We can too, but we have to be vaccinated,” said Dr. Paul to the participants of the counseling which was attended by the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the GKI Synod in Tanah Papua as well as a number of departmental secretaries and heads of divisions within the GKI-TP Synod Office.
Besides that, dr. Paul said that if he was exposed to Covid-19, the consequences would be being hospitalized and taking medicine.
“So until now there is no cure. This virus, so expensive drugs, all of which are not yet known clearly the benefits. So sorry, so it’s like a test run too. So it’s better to be vaccinated than already sick. As many as 94 percent of those who have been vaccinated will get [Covid] without symptoms. It is unavoidable, but if it is hit it is very light,” he said.
Regarding hoaxes or fake news related to vaccines that have been circulating so far, according to dr. Paul, indeed disturbing and has been circulating everywhere.
“We heard that it was just flat, we were left behind, but this hoax news or information about vaccination is really troubling. There are even hoaxes that are very funny and make no sense,” he said.
Vice Chairperson of the GKI Synod in Papua, Rev. Hiskia Rollo in his closing remarks of the vaccination outreach activity expressed his gratitude to the doctors who had been invited and came to convey good things to church employees at the GKI synod office and finally in the future they could pass on the information to others.
“This is important so that more and more people in this church understand that one of the preventions for Covid is through vaccination. Vaccines are also important, because then there is evidence of being able to travel wherever you go. We must be wise to position ourselves as leaders of the people,” he said.
Vaccines are also according to Rev. Rollo, similar to measles immunization, infant immunization and polio are often given to children.
“It’s the same with vaccines today. It’s just the different name that might scare people, even though it’s actually the same as the first immunization, which when immunized and then put a sign on the hand. Finally, all of us who participated in this counselling understood,” he concluded.
Finally, Rev. Rollo, on behalf of the GKI Synod Board in Tanah Papua, expressed his gratitude to dr. Paul Manupil from Unicef and doctor Yulizar Kasma from Gapai IP Unicef Papua.
Reporter: Elisa Sekenyap
