Doctor Reisa: Number Of COVID-19 Cases Increases Every Long Holiday

JAKARTA - Government Spokesperson for COVID-19 and Ambassador for the Adaptation of New Habits Reisa Broto Asmoro said the number of positive cases of COVID-19 in Indonesia always increases every time it enters a long holiday.

"We cannot close our eyes that every time there is a long holiday accompanied by high community mobility, not accompanied by good health protocols and low discipline, it will definitely cause an increase in COVID-19 cases," Reisa said in the Christmas and New Year Health Broadcast which Healthy and Safe From COVID-19 followed by Antara, Monday, November 22.

Reisa said that on the Eid al-Fitr holiday in 2020, there were 413 to 559 additional cases or a large percentage of 68 to 93 percent of new daily cases.

Meanwhile, during the holidays of the Prophet's Birthday, Christmas and New Year's Day 2020, cases of positive confirmed people experienced a sharp increase reaching 1,157 to 5,477 new daily cases or by 37 to 95 percent.

Then on the Eid al-Fitr holiday in 2021, there were additional cases of 1,972 positive cases up to 46,297 cases with a large percentage of 52 to 1,237 percent which was also caused by the Delta variant at that time.

"We can anticipate the upcoming Christmas and New Year holidays, we must understand that there is a risk or potential for a spike in cases like those that have been experienced before," he said.

To anticipate the recurrence of the increase in cases, he said the government has issued a leave ban for State Civil Apparatus (ASN), TNI-Polri and BUMN employees which will be enforced from December 24, 2021 to January 2, 2022.

Reisa also said that during this period the government would continue to intensify 3T (testing, tracing, treatment) and accelerate the implementation of COVID-19 vaccination even more actively.

While the government affirms all policies to prevent further spread of COVID-19, he hopes that the public will cooperate to register as soon as possible to be vaccinated and continue to maintain health protocols so that the pandemic passes quickly.

“We must both remain disciplined in health protocols and accelerate vaccination so that the protection is optimal in the community. So we don't get carried away by the waves of COVID-19 like in other countries," he said.