1812 Action Crowd, Epidemiologist: New Tracing Can Be Done When Someone Is Sick Due To COVID-19

The 1812 action demands that Rizieq Shihab be released in Jakarta, Friday, December 18 (Diah Ayu / VOI)

JAKARTA - The 1812 demonstration demanding the release of the High Priest of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) Rizieq Shihab took place in the area of the Arjuna Wiwaha Horse Statue, Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat, Central Jakarta. Not only were they gathered, the protesters also appeared not to use masks properly and did not maintain their distance.

In response to this, the epidemiologist from the University of Indonesia, Tri Yunis Miko Wahyono, assessed that this would create a high potential for transmission of COVID-19 in the crowd.

"Crowding has increased the spread. Moreover, not wearing a mask, not keeping your distance. Yes, the infection will be very high," said Miko when contacted by VOI, Friday, December 18.

Even so, he considered that nothing could be done to prevent similar demonstrations from being held. This is because people do have the right to express their opinion and this is regulated in law.

When asked about the need for contact tracing after this demonstration took place, he said this could not be done immediately. The reason is that tracking the transmission of this case can only be carried out after a mass of action is sick or even died due to COVID-19.

"Later, if someone dies (COVID-19, ed) is that so. If someone dies, it will only be caught because after that it was contacted tracing. in contact tracing, "he said.

Regarding the demonstration in the area of the Arjuna Wiwaha Horse Statue, most recently the mass in the demonstration remained at the location even though police officers tried to block it because this action was not equipped with a permit.

The surviving masses chanted the Prophet's salawat while the police remained in their stance, namely dispersing the masses. This is because the cases of COVID-19 have not yet increased and this has led to bans of all forms of crowds.

Currently, the police keep reminding the demonstrators to disperse. Until this news was released, the police had not taken firm action against the masses. The police are still making persuasive appeals.

"Please disperse. We are on a humanitarian mission," said police at the demonstration site.

In this 1812 action, as many as 12,500 joint personnel of the TNI-Polri, and the Regional Government (Pemda) of DKI Jakarta were deployed to guard the 1812 demonstration around the State Palace, Central Jakarta.

However, 5,000 joint personnel were deployed. Meanwhile, the remaining 7,500 were alerted to face uncontrollable situations.