The Habit Of gathering Makes It Difficult To Implement social Distancing

Illustration (Pixabay)

JAKARTA - Police officers often find children and residents who gather outside to just hang out in the midst of the COVID-19 virus pandemic. In fact, there have been repeated calls for social distancing . National Police Chief General Idham Aziz issued an announcement to implement this social distancing .

Hello Friends of the Police

The following is the announcement of the Chief of Police in Handling Corona Virus: pic.twitter.com/CuqWS5KwLA

- Police Public Relations Division (@DivHumas_Polri) March 22, 2020

The Governor of DKI Jakarta requested assistance from the police to enforce this policy. Those still hanging out will be dispersed by the patrolling police.

"They will be disbanded, and those who insist will be asked for information (by the police). There will be potential sanctions, because the risk is too great," said DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan, Tuesday, March 24.

The social phenomenon of the Indonesian people has been happy to gather for a long time. In contrast to the individualist traditions of western society. Said sociologist from UGM, Suprapto, the principle of life of Indonesian people, eating not eating, the important thing is to gather.

"Even though this applies to families, the habit of gathering also applies to peer groups , communities, and others," Suprapto explained when contacted by VOI, Monday, March 23.

The National Police supports government policies in handling Covid-19. The Police will carry out humanist persuasive dissolution of the masses who carry out mass gathering activities. The National Police will also give criminal action against residents who do not heed the officers' appeal. pic.twitter.com/aHCxAQCIDX

- Police Public Relations Division (@DivHumas_Polri) March 23, 2020

Suprapto said that, in essence, humans have a tendency to interact with each other. Thus, it is not easy to turn it into staying at home without direct interaction.

Apart from that, the economic situation of some Indonesians is in the middle to lower level. There are still many people who work for daily wages, so they do not have enough savings to eat daily if they have to stay at home.

Sociologist from the University of Indonesia, Ida Ruwaida understands that the police have not given strict sanctions, both administratively and criminally, to people who still like to congregate. Because, until now the government has not set a lockdown status (regional quarantine).

"If people are prohibited from leaving the house, there are many things that must be considered. In the case of a lockdown , infrastructure and channels for residents' needs per region must also be adequate," said Ida.

However, said Ida, it does not mean that people still feel that they can gather until they wait for the lockdown status to be established. Do not take the virus that originated in the city of Wuhan, China, lightly.

"There are people who think that if they are sick, they just need to get treatment using BPJS. In fact, even BPJS has not yet conditioned people to live healthy lives," he said. (This paragraph was revised after a protest from a sociologist from the University of Indonesia, Ida Ruwaida. The editorial staff apologized for the citation error)

Illustration (Ilham Amin / VOI)

Not to mention, the number of positive patients with the corona virus is increasing. Currently, various referral and private hospitals have difficulty handling patients due to the lack of availability of personal protective equipment (PPE).

"Therefore, discipline, clean and healthy living habits must be carried out. Control by the family and the surrounding community must also be carried out. Policies for learning from home, working from home, worship at home, basically give family and community responsibility for supervision," he concluded. .