Don't Overdo Euphoria, Stay Disciplined The COVID-19 Pandemic Is Not Over

Murals in Indonesia to encourage others to face the COVID-19 pandemic. (Between)

JAKARTA - Field epidemiologist from Jenderal Sudirman University (Unsoed) dr. Yudhi Wibowo said that the determination of Level 1 PPKM in Indonesia needs to be accompanied by increased education about the importance of health protocols (prokes).

"I think the extension of the PPKM is very appropriate considering that there is an increase in cases now, but it needs to be accompanied by education about the importance of health protocols," he said when contacted from Jakarta, Tuesday 9 August.

The lecturer at the Unsoed Faculty of Medicine said the intensive socialization and education aimed to remind the public that the pandemic was not over yet so that discipline in implementing health protocols still needed to be carried out.

"The public needs to be reminded that the COVID-19 pandemic is not over yet, so they don't act euphoric and don't ignore health protocols," he said, according to Antara.

In addition, he said, socialization and education would increase public understanding and awareness that currently there is an increasing trend of COVID-19 cases.

"People need to know that at this time there is an increasing trend of COVID-19 cases following the emergence of a new subvariant of Omicron, so people will be alert again and don't think that COVID-19 is gone, this is a mistake," he said.

Yudhi Wibowo also reminded the importance of intensifying 3T practices, namely testing, tracing and treatment during the extension of PPKM in order to reduce the risk of transmission and spread of COVID-19.

Previously, the government decided to extend the PPKM to anticipate the potential increase in COVID-19 cases in Indonesia. The extension is stated in the Instruction of the Minister of Home Affairs Number 38 of 2022 for PPKM in Java and Bali which is valid from August 2-15 2022.

While outside Java and Bali, it was extended through the issuance of the Minister of Home Affairs Number 39 of 2022 which is valid from August 2, 2022 to September 5, 2022.

In a statement in Jakarta, Tuesday, August 2, the Director General of Regional Administration of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Safrizal ZA, said the conditions for determining PPKM Level 1 throughout Indonesia were based on the consideration of a number of experts who saw conditions in the field.

The increase in COVID-19 cases has occurred, but this needs to be seen simultaneously with the low occupancy rate of hospitals.