Epidemiologist The Crucial Value Of Masks In Schools, Offices, Places Of Worship To Public Transportation

Illustration of residents playing in the park wearing masks and applying prokes. (Antara-Jessica Helena)

YOGYAKARTA - Epidemiologist at Gadjah Mada University (UGM) dr. Bayu Satria Wiratama supports the government's call for people to return to wearing masks indoors and outdoors in line with the surge in COVID-19 cases that have occurred in Indonesia in recent times.

"With the current trend of slightly increasing cases, I think it is appropriate to advise to continue to use masks, especially indoors," Bayu said in a written statement, quoted from Antara, Thursday, July 14.

The use of masks, he said, is very crucial when in crowded rooms such as schools, offices, places of worship, or public transportation. The reason is that a number of locations are at high risk of transmission if there are people infected with COVID-19 in the same location.

Bayu said that the main factor for the current increase in COVID-19 cases was the high mobility of the people.

However, on the other hand, he continued, the habit of using masks has decreased, especially indoors, including public transportation and places of worship.

"In addition, it is also supported by the presence of some people who take the symptoms of COVID-19 lightly and it is also related to the vaccination rate which tends to slow down, even for complete doses," he said.

In order to suppress COVID-19 cases, according to Bayu, increasing the number of complete and booster doses of vaccination is very important because COVID-19 infection cannot be completely prevented, but it can still prevent the severity caused by vaccines.

"Because you can't prevent infection with vaccines alone but must use 3M, especially masks. Vaccines are more about reducing the risk of severity, so the hope is that even if you are negligent with masks and get infected with COVID-19, it won't get serious," he said.

On Sunday 11 July, President Jokowi asked the public to wear masks indoors and outdoors due to the increase in COVID-19 cases both in Indonesia and in other countries.