Anticipating The Spread Of COVID-19 In Angkots, Bogor City Education Office: It's Difficult To Ensure Passengers Can Keep Their Distance

JAKARTA - The Bogor City Education Office asked parents to be aware of the spread of COVID-19 in city public transportation (angkot) and other public transportation by ensuring the readiness of masks, following vaccinations, and the health condition of their children before going to school.

Head of the Bogor City Education Office, Hanafi, when interviewed on the sidelines of a review of the implementation of limited face-to-face learning (PTMT) at SMPN 1 and SMAN 1 Bogor City, Monday, said that the local government actually does not recommend students to take public transportation during PTMT phase I.

"Angkot is still difficult to ensure that its passengers can keep their distance. This is because the schedules of passengers who come are also irregular", he said as quoted by Antara, Monday, October 4.

However, when students and their parents can use public transportation, it is important to be aware of the potential for the spread of COVID-19 individually.

"It's troublesome in terms of keeping a distance, but if the angkot is empty, why not, that's why we recommend to parents that students at least use online motorcycle taxis", said Hanafi.

He conveyed that with the Bogor City COVID-19 vaccination which has reached 83 percent, many students from the junior high and high school/vocational level have also been vaccinated.

This means that cleanliness and health in the house are safer, as well as when they are in school.

Meanwhile, as stated by the Deputy Mayor of Bogor, Dedie A. Rachim, at the same moment of review, Hanafi said, it was feared that the spread of COVID-19 would occur when it was found that students were using public transportation to school.

Seeing this condition, Dedie Rachim encouraged the re-application of the disinfectant booths used by students before entering the school building.

The disinfectant booth will be an addition to other health protocols that have been prepared by each school, such as checking temperature, washing hands before entering the school building, and spraying disinfectant by officers who go around the classroom.

"Don't let the deputy mayor say, in a sterile house at a sterile school, but not on a trip", he said.