PAN Party: The Lockdown Of Wisma Atlet Is The Right Step

Wisma Kemayoran athletes/ Antara

JAKARTA - The chairman of the PAN Party faction of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), Saleh Partaonan Daulay, assessed that the temporary lockdown policy at the athlete's house was appropriate to anticipate the spread of transmission of the Omicron variant.

According to him, during this lockdown period, all residents and workers at Wisma Atlet must be ensured to be healthy and not infected. If someone is found to be infected, said Saleh, it needs to be handled properly and quarantined in a safer place.

"With the lockdown, people are not allowed to enter and leave the guesthouse again for the next 7 days. Everyone inside is expected to be patient. Likewise, families outside are expected to be able to wait. Even if they want to communicate, it can be via gadgets, android, or other means of communication," Saleh told reporters, Thursday, December 17.

However, continued the legislator for the North Sumatra electoral district, it must be ensured that their logistical needs at Wisma Atlet can be met properly.

"Eating, drinking, daily equipment, and others must be sufficient. That way, they can pass the quarantine days there well," he said.

The member of Commission IX of the DPR also considered that the lockdown of the Wisma Atlet must be equipped with wider testing and tracing. Because, said Saleh, during the past week, there were many people who interacted or had close contact with people who were quarantined or officers who worked there.

"This means that those who had interacted and had close contact could have been infected. These are the people who need to be traced," said Saleh.

If the data collection is good, Saleh thinks it will not be difficult to find these people. Especially if residents and workers at the guesthouse can provide information.

"Testing and tracing are needed to ensure that this Omicron variant does not spread outside the guesthouse," said Saleh.

It is known that the government has decided to isolate the Kemayoran Wisma Atlet Hospital for the next 7 days, following the discovery of one case of COVID-19 due to variant B.1.1.529 or Omicron from a cleaning worker at the COVID-19 Emergency Hospital (RSDC).

This decision was taken based on a coordination meeting with the Coordinating Minister for Investment, the Minister of Health, the National Armed Forces (TNI), and the COVID-19 Handling Task Force, which was followed by a technical meeting with the relevant ministry agencies.

The head of the COVID-19 Handling Task Force, Lieutenant General Suharyanto, said this step was taken as a form of early anticipation to prevent transmission of the Omicron variant at the community level.

“Recent developments have forced the government to act quickly to prevent local transmission of the Omicron Variant virus. The isolation of the RSDC is a step that is expected to be effective for this purpose," said Suharyanto in a written statement, Friday, December 17.