COVID-19 School Cluster Reappears, Epidemiologist Asks Government To Learn From The Lesson

Illustrated (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - Epidemiologist from Griffith University Australia, Dicky Budiman asked the government to make the emergence of COVID-19 clusters in schools a lesson in the application of face-to-face learning (PTM).

Dicky views that if there are schools that are not ready to implement PTM, the government cannot force the schools to operate face-to-face.

"This is something that must be looked for in Indonesia. If the cause has not been found, don't start, it must be looked for, because it is important for learning to be improved, this is important for learning, don't take risks," said Dicky when contacted, Thursday, September 23.

Dicky asked the government to be responsive in evaluating PTM due to the COVID-19 cluster in educational institutions. If two positive cases are found, the school must be immediately closed, sterilized, and contact tracing of everyone who enters the school is carried out.

"Whether it's a student or a teacher, it must be suspended or closed first at least two cases, if one case, only the class is quarantined, because there needs to be disinfection, then testing isolation and quarantine tracing," he said.

For information, the public has just been surprised by the information that 90 students of SMPN 4 Mrebet Purbalingga have tested positive for COVID-19. Now the status of 61 students of SMPN 3 Mrebet has appeared again, which is also reactive, referring to the results of the antigen test.

The Purbalingga Regency Government immediately temporarily suspended limited face-to-face learning activities (PTM) in order to carry out further evaluations regarding the readiness of health protocols.

"For the time being, the entire implementation of limited PTM is suspended until further evaluation is carried out," said the Head of the Purbalingga Regency Health Office, Hanung Wikantono.

Following that, PTM at a Madrasah Tsanawiyah (MTs) in Rengging Village, Pecangaan District, Jepara Regency, Central Java, was finally stopped after cases emerged of 25 students and three teachers tested positive for COVID-19.

"Currently, teaching and learning activities at the MTs are closed due to the case," said Jepara Regency COVID-19 Acceleration and Handling Task Force Spokesperson Muh Ali.

Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo instructed that tracing or contact tracing be carried out regarding the findings of face-to-face learning clusters (PTM) in several regions.

"I ask for tracking, to find out where the cause came from, what kind of entry, so that it can be handled immediately," said Ganjar in Semarang.