Erick Thohir: At The End Of December The Positive Number Of COVID-19 Could Be 500 Thousand

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JAKARTA - The number of positive cases of COVID-19 continues to grow every day. The government is making various efforts to reduce the spread of the new corona virus, one of which is by providing a COVID-19 vaccine.

Deputy Chairman of the Committee for Handling Covid-19 and National Economic Recovery (KPCPEN) Erick Thohir said the health sector was the government's priority in handling COVID-19. Especially for the 8 provinces that contribute nearly 70 percent of COVID-19 patients.

According to him, the socialization of behavior change must be carried out widely and supported by all stakeholders and society. If not, Erick assessed that it would be difficult for Indonesia to reduce the number of positive cases of COVID-19.

"By all means, I have no intention of scaring, of course we have to open all of that in a transparent manner. We will not see this significant decline if we do not change behavior together," he said, during the 'Anniversary Scientific Oration 63 Years of Padjadjaran University ', Friday, 11 September.

According to Erick, if you reflect on the addition of positive new cases of COVID-19 per day which exceed 3,000, it is not impossible that the number of positive cases by the end of the year could reach hundreds of thousands.

"If we have a bad assumption of 3,000 per day, at the end of December this could be 500 thousand. This is a reality that we must face," he said.

Erick said, with vaccine production at the end of the year and starting to be distributed in early 2021, the government hopes to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

"Of course we hope that vaccination can reduce (the positive number of COVID-19)," he said.

In addition, Erick emphasized, Indonesia is still much better at handling COVID-19 when compared to other countries. Although the number of new positive cases continues to grow every day.

"Of course it is much better than some countries, if we compare it to India, Brazil and America we are far away. But we don't want us to keep getting closer," he said.

But Indonesia, according to him, could follow India, which within 12 days received an additional 1 million new positive COVID-19 cases, if the public was not disciplined in implementing health protocols.

"If we look at Brazil and India at 4 million now. India even gets an additional 1 million within 12 days. It is not something that is impossible, if we ourselves are not disciplined in society, we will see very high numbers early next year. , "said Erick.

Erick said that public discipline towards health protocols greatly determines the fate of Indonesia. Because of that, Erick requested that health protocol be disciplined.

"Health is the key. How about the mask campaign, hand washing should be supported by all Indonesian people. This is a priority," he said.