The central government and several local governments intend to loosen the Large-Scale Social Restrictions (PSBB) rules in early June. This action aims to stimulate economic activity and community activity activities to run as before with the provision of by implementing the Covid-19 health protocol strictly. Responding to this, UGM Epidemiologist, Riris Andono Ahmad, said that easing this regulation would risk a positive curve for the number of patients that could increase due to the difficulty of control. However, the easing depends on the firmness of government oversight through the military/police apparatus in the field. "Depending on the easing, but in general, it can confound the control," Riris Andono Ahmad told reporters on Friday (5/29).
He acknowledged that during the pandemic, the covid transmission medium occurred in many markets, shops, centers, and transportation facilities. It was very risky if the regulation was loosened, considering there are so many undisciplined communities implementing covid transmission prevention.
From the national Covid Cluster team's report, Riris assessed the number of covid patients; the number of PDP and ODP as a whole did indeed increase from day to day. However, at present, some regions are experiencing a downward trend in covid transmission. But there are also some regions which are on the contrary increasing. "I see this condition depending on the region in Indonesia. Some are starting to go down, some are not yet," he explained.
According to him, if the government proposes to implement New Normal, the implementation of covid health protocols in the field is very necessary important. Because, many residents are not yet fully obedient and want to follow covid prevention health procedures such as keeping a distance through physical distancing, wearing masks, and often washing hands when handling something outside the home.
The PSBB issue needs to be extended or stopped at the beginning of June. Riris suggested that the government consider the rules and criteria applied by the WHO about the requirements to ease the prevention of covid transmission. "WHO already has criteria when it can be relaxed. There are several criteria. In essence, the transmission government and other roles in a country must keep the Covid-19 under-controlled, there is sufficient and well-prepared the health system, and also supported by a good understanding of the community," he said.
There is also a concern for some people that the number of covid sufferers increases after going home or when new people are exposed. He suggested that the government needs to conduct screening and provide adequate quarantine facilities to anticipate this.
According to him, until the Covid-19 drugs and vaccines are found, to maintain citizens' health and encourage economic activities to continue, the government should conduct social distancing easing carefully and carefully so that covid transmission in the area remains under control.
Author: Gusti Grehenson
Translator: Natasa A