Remind Regent About COVID-19, Jokowi: This Stuff Is Invisible, Don't Be Careless

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) reminded regents that the COVID-19 pandemic has not ended. He asked these regional heads not to be careless even though the number of cases added was no longer in the tens of thousands.

When opening the National Conference V for the Association of Indonesian District Governments (APKASI) in 2021, the former Governor of DKI Jakarta compared the number of additional COVID-19 cases in the country with a number of other countries.

“In Europe, India, which had already fallen, suddenly jumped 3-4 times as much as its COVID-19. We are Alhamdulillah, in January there were 13 thousand daily cases, 14 thousand even 15 thousand, now we have dropped to 5-6 thousand and we will continue to reduce it," Jokowi said when opening the event which was broadcasted on the YouTube account of the Presidential Secretariat, Friday, March 26.

Even so, Jokowi advised the regents who attended the event not to let their guard down and remain cautious. Moreover, what is being fought during this pandemic is an invisible virus.

"Do not feel that the 5 thousand immediately alert us to let our guard down. Watch Out. We can't see this item, where we don't know, through what, we also don't know the media of transmission," he said.

"Therefore, the only way to remain cautious and do not be careless," he added.

Jokowi appreciated what the regents had done, especially during this pandemic year. However, they are still asked to do a number of things, including moving the economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition, regents were asked to continue to strengthen the implementation of 3T, namely testing, tracing, and treatment to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. This, he continued, needs to be done, especially for districts that are still in the red and orange zones.

"Perform testing, tracing, and treatment. Tests, traces, then isolated, treated, don't get away from this, especially those that are still in the red zone, the orange zone, must be pushed to continue to enter the green zone," said Jokowi.

He did not deny that managing this pandemic was so difficult, especially when it came to economic growth. So, Jokowi asked the regents to follow in the footsteps of the central government in doing so, including in efforts to loosen sectors in the regions.

"Managing COVID is related to the economic growth of cities, districts, provinces, and national economic growth. It is not easy. Once it is loosened up in one sector, we can see if the COVID-19 will go up or not, once it goes up, it stops. The regents also have to be like that," he explained.

"Look at the opening of a limited face-to-face school, check whether there are daily cases whether it is increasing or not, so be careful there is a policy that is fast. Likewise, if you open the market, how come the covid has doubled from the stop. If not, COVID continues to rise, the economy cannot continue to decline. Be careful because this is related," he concluded.