Preventing COVID-19, Volunteers At Merapi Refugee Barracks Undergo Antigen Swabs

Volunteers at the evacuation barracks for the Merapi eruption disaster in Purwobinangun Barracks, Pakem, Sleman undergo antigen swabs (Photo: ANTARA)

JAKARTA - A number of volunteers who carried out social actions at the refugee barracks in Purwobinangun, Pakem District, Sleman Regency, Yogyakarta Special Region underwent COVID-19 antigen swabs.

"The antigen swab for volunteers is mandatory to anticipate the spread of COVID-19 in the evacuation barracks", said the Head of Emergency and Logistics Division of BPBD Sleman Regency, Makwan, as reported by Antara, Thursday, January 28.

Antigen swab collection was carried out in the hall of the Purwobinangun Urban Village, Pakem District (Kapanewon). Meanwhile, volunteers who undergo this antigen swab consist of a number of elements, both those who are members of the Sleman Disaster Management Volunteer Forum (FRPB), Pramuka, Tagana, TNI-Polri, and others.

Makwan added that the volunteers who help in the evacuation barracks are also adjusted to their respective specifications according to their abilities.

"So there are volunteers on duty in public kitchens, evacuation volunteers and so on", he said.

Makwan said that the handling of refugees at the Purwobinangun barracks also strictly refers to the COVID-19 health protocol.

"The COVID-19 health protocol is strictly enforced, such as making booths with barriers, the mandatory of wearing masks, washing hands with soap in running water and for consumption not on a buffet basis but individually wrapped", he said.

The number of vulnerable residents of Turgo Hamlet who were evacuated to the Main Barrack of Purwobinangun Village, Rentan Purwobinangun Barrack, and SD Negeri Tawangharjo was 145 people consisting of elderly men 19 and 14 women, adult men 33 and women 43, boys 19, girls 13, one baby boy, one toddler boy, two toddler girls, and one pregnant woman.