Government Monitoring Spike In COVID-19 Cases In The Next Two Weeks Due To Year-End Holidays

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hatarto (Photo: Humas)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Committee for Handling COVID-19 and National Economic Recovery (KPCPEN) Airlangga Hartato admitted that the government is intensively monitoring the progress of the COVID-19 case after the Christmas holidays and the new year 2021.

Because, like the long holiday period the previous weekend, namely the Independence Day and the Prophet's Birthday, there has often been a spike in COVID-19 cases.

"After Christmas and this new year, the government will evaluate it in the next two weeks. Indeed, with Christmas and New Years like previous holidays, it is usually monitored in the next two weeks," said Airlangga in the Presidential Secretariat Youtube broadcast, Monday, 4 January.

Then, improvement in the discipline of health protocols will also be improved. Supervision and prosecution such as justisi operations have been intensified by the police.

"Increasing discipline in various places continues to be monitored, both at work and at places for economic activities," said Airlangga.

Previously, Deputy Health Minister Dante Saksono Harbuwono said the long Christmas holidays and the end of this year would definitely have an impact on increasing positive cases of COVID-19 in Indonesia. Therefore, adding cases was inevitable.

"Maybe a spike in cases is inevitable, there will definitely be. The most important thing about this increase in cases is that the death rate should not increase," said Dante, Friday, December 25.

To ensure that efforts to reduce the mortality rate can run optimally, the Ministry of Health ensures that all facilities, including medicines, beds, health workers, are sufficient.

"We are conducting an effective visit today (to the hospital) so that all the availability of medicines, health facilities and medical personnel are met," he said.

The Ministry of Health will also set up a field hospital for COVID-19 treatment to deal with a potential spike in new cases due to the long holidays of Christmas and New Year 2021.

Initially, the Ministry of Health would optimize the addition of a special bed for COVID-19 treatment by adding new referral hospitals in non-RSUD hospitals or private hospitals.

"The Ministry of Health has prepared a number of anticipatory strategies. Among them are the optimization of private hospital beds and the addition of new referral hospitals," said Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin.

If COVID-19 cases continue to soar, the Ministry of Health will add more treatment and isolation beds by establishing field hospitals to emergency tents in the treatment area for COVID-19 patients.

"Other steps that will be taken include strengthening the implementation of the COVID-19 management protocol in health care facilities (fasyankes), converting public care rooms into COVID-19 treatment rooms, setting up emergency tents in hospitals for the treatment of COVID-19 patients, and establishing field hospitals. / COVID-19 emergency in the area, "explained Budi.