The Reasons Why the Strategy for Using Influencers to Encourage Health Protocols Implementation is Tasteless

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo invited dozens of influencers to the Merdeka Palace, Tuesday, July 14 to voice the implementation of health protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic.  However, there are some "corona ambassadors" who seem to fail to understand about COVID-19. So, is the socialization strategy implemented by the government effective?

Those who were invited by President Jokowi are Raffi Ahmad, Andre Taulany, Ari Lasso, Cak Lontong, Butet Kertaradjasa, Yovie Widianto, Tompi, Yuni Shara, Desta, Anji, Gading Marten, Once, Raisa, and Atta Halilintar. According to one of them, Butet, Jokowi invited them to voice the application of health protocols to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

But instead of socializing health protocols, some of them have even issued controversial statements or posts. One of them is Erdian Aji Prihartanto or Anji.

Anji said his opinion on COVID-19 at least twice. Most recently, he interviewed a so-called microbiologist with the title of professor, Hadi Pranoto.

Hadi claimed to have created a drug for COVID-19. "Medicine for COVID-19. It can cure and prevent it," said Hadi. He said that the drug was of a herbal type. It can kill the new coronavirus in just 2-3 days.

He doesn't want the medicine to be the same as the COVID-19 vaccine which is still being clinically tested. Because according to him, the drug is different. "If the vaccine is injected, this drug is taken."

But lately, according to Tempo's report, a number of medical and microbiology experts have doubted Hadi's claims. Many of the terms used by the "Professor" are actually unknown in the medical world.

For example, Hadi pinned the term antibody as the name of the drug. Antibodies are substances that are produced in the body. It can't be produced outside the body, then drink it. 

"Does he actually know what are antibodies?" Said a microbiology lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine of Airlangga University, Agung Dwi Widodo.

Previously, Anji also made a statement that was discrediting the journalist who captured a body of COVID-19 patient. While on Twitter he said "I believe that COVID-19 is real. But it's not as terrible as what is being reported in the media."

Besides Anji, there's another blundered influencer who was invited by the government. It is Yuni Shara, the singer of "50 Tahun Lagi".

She said that the eucalyptus necklace or anti-Corona necklace could make her safer. Even though the necklace was widely discussed because of its dubious usefulness.

Maybe, Yuni Shara didn't really understand that the necklace was still a public debate. Yuni was also confused about the terms related to COVID-19.

Since the coronavirus outbreak entered Indonesia, several new terms have emerged.  These include ODP, PDP, OTG, PPE, Lockdown, and PSBB.

For this reason, the former lover of Raffi Ahmad admitted that she was confused by the many abbreviations and terms. This was revealed by Yuni via her Instagram account.

Bland Strategy

Communication expert from Pelita Harapan University, Emrus Sihombing, assessed that in academic studies, the use of influencers is not very effective to influence people's behavior.  According to him, the strategy will only be able to influence the level of awareness.

"It doesn't really affect the use of personal protective equipment or obeying the COVID-19 health protocol," Emrus said when contacted by VOI. Building a communication message to the community shouldn't be arbitrary. There are several aspects that need attention.

According to Emrus, the government also needs to involve other opinion leaders such as community figures, also adat and religious leaders. "That must be maximized. It's not just the popularity of influencers."

Meanwhile, the communication message design shouldn't be careless. Emrus said, every communication message needs to be clustered.  "It must be done by dividing the community clusters such as in villages or cities with various levels of education, and others. So that communication messages can be designed," he said.

This is important because according to Emrus, no communication message is made for everyone. The message must be made according to the audience. "So it must be made different," he added.

Another important thing is the need to use local wisdom. For example, using a symbol in certain communities. Such us using Papuan language in Papua or Sulawesi language in Sulawesi. And the same goes for other areas. 

"So it is not just influencers. It should be designed as a whole, so it can be effective," he concluded.