Semarang City Government Prepares Again COVID-19 Task Force

SEMARANG - The Semarang City Government has re-prepared the COVID-19 Task Force (Satgas) to anticipate the surge in cases of the coronavirus-induced disease in line with the findings of three new cases in the region.

"While waiting for directions from the center and provinces, we will form a team, such as the COVID-19 Task Force again," said Semarang Mayor Hevearita Gunaryanti Rahayu as reported by ANTARA, Monday, December 11.

The Head of the Semarang City Health Office, said Itas Hevearita's nickname, had experience in the COVID-19 Task Force first, so it was just a matter of implementing it if it was reactivated later.

According to him, the role of the COVID-19 Task Force is very important because it will coordinate concrete steps from each regional apparatus organization (OPD) and all sectors involved.

"So, the Head of the Semarang City Health Office, just copy and paste to prepare the COVID-19 Task Force team to jointly take concrete steps according to their respective duties," he said.

Several technical activities, he said, could be carried out, such as the Health Office in tracking and overseeing the readiness of hospitals to accommodate and treat COVID-19 patients.

"The PP Satpol will be moved again to enforce justice or preventive movements in areas where there is an increase in COVID-19 cases," he said.

The Education Office is also the agency that interacts the most with the number of students in schools so that later it is ensured that students are safe in undergoing learning.

Then, the Semarang City Social Service and Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), he continued, must prepare to identify and re-collect the volunteers first.

"OPD-OPD lain akan juga bergerak bersama berdasarkan tugas utama fungsi atau penugasan dari kami jika terjadi lonjakan COVID-19. Kami berharap tidak terjadi lonjakan," katanya.

In addition, Ita asked the sub-district and village heads and their staff to prepare and understand standard operating procedures (SOP) for handling COVID-19, as was the case during the pandemic.

"The SOP used to be remembered again, because there are many new village heads and sub-district officials. What about SOPs, technical instructions for COVID-19 alert if they are active again," he said.

Previously, the Semarang City Government mentioned the findings of three new cases of COVID-19 in the region after a long time since the pandemic ended, and the three have been in self-isolation with mild symptoms.

The first case was a 36-year-old woman, a resident of Sendangmulyo, Tembalang District, who had no history of traveling abroad, but had contact with her colleague who had a history of treatment in Singapore.

The second case, a 52-year-old woman, a Mijen resident who works at a private university in Semarang City, and has a travel history to Singapore on 29 November-3 December 2023.

The third case, a 43-year-old woman, a resident of Pudakpayung, Banyumanik District, was a traveling friend in Singapore in the second case.