DKI Claims Student's COVID-19 Case Was Not Infected During PTM, Epidemiologist: Contact Tracing Should Be Thoroughly

Illustration/Antara

JAKARTA - The number of cases of COVID-19 among students and teachers found during the implementation of 100 percent face-to-face learning (PTM) in Jakarta continues to increase. However, the DKI Provincial Government claims that the transmission of the virus, in this case, did not occur in schools.

In response to this, an epidemiologist from the University of Indonesia, Tri Yunis Miko Wahyono, said the DKI Provincial Government could not say that the transmission of the coronavirus did not occur in schools as long as contact tracing efforts had not been carried out massively and carefully.

"Contact tracing must be careful first. If we are not careful, it is difficult for us to determine where the transmission is, how do we know if it is transmitted at home or on the road," said Miko when contacted, Monday, January 24.

Reflecting on the limited PTM last year, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbudristek) found that there were 25 COVID-19 clusters in Jakarta schools.

Therefore, Miko asked the DKI Provincial Government to be more aggressive in carrying out active PCR examinations even on students and teachers who do not experience COVID-19 symptoms.

"If we look, there is a school cluster. Yes, it means that the cluster is transmitted at school. If there is no school cluster, it may be transmitted at home or on the road. Indonesia doesn't check people who are asymptomatic, even though they are in contact with cases," Miko said.

Based on records as of January 19, the DKI Provincial Government has found that there are 43 schools that were temporarily closed due to the findings of COVID-19 cases.

There were 67 students, 2 teachers, and 3 education staff who found COVID-19 cases. Some schools have resumed PTM 100 percent again.

Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta Ahmad Riza Patria claimed that the transmission of cases did not occur in schools. Because, so far, on average, not many cases are found in one school.

"From the data, the school averages 1 to 2 cases. This means that transmission does not occur at schools, but at home or on trips," said Riza.