Epidemiologists Ask Anies To Prepare Health Officers For School Opening On April 7

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JAKARTA - DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan decided to reopen schools and other educational units for trials on Wednesday, April 7.

An Epidemiologist from Griffith University, Dicky Budiman reminded that one of the important things that must be done is the provision of health workers in each school.

"In the plan to open schools in DKI Jakarta, there must be assistance by the DKI Jakarta's Health Office by appointing a health center, clinic, or practicing doctor to monitor each school," said Dicky to VOI, Sunday, April 4.

Dicky said that this health worker is in charge of monitoring all school activities in order to maintain health protocols such as wearing masks, washing hands frequently, and always maintaining a distance.

"Every school must be clear who is monitoring because this is not like an ordinary school. So, there must be health officers," he said.

In this case, when cases of COVID-19 are found among students, teachers, and other education personnel, health workers appointed by the Health Office must take further action by means of contact tracing (tracing).

"Don't forget that there is an emergency brake when, for example, in a class or group that is positive for one person, it must first quarantine the group for two weeks, while tracing it later," he explained.

Previously, Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta Ahmad Riza Patria said that the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government will conduct a trial for opening schools in the Capital City with face-to-face learning on Wednesday, April 7.

Riza said that currently there are about 96 schools that are planned to be opened as face-to-face learning pilot projects and are being assessed.

"Hopefully, if this is successful, later we will consider whether in the new academic year, face to face is possible or mixed as tested, or other means," he said.

It is known, the plan to open this school is contained in the Joint Decree (SKB) of the Minister of Education and Culture, Minister of Religion, Minister of Health, and Minister of Home Affairs regarding Implementation Guidelines during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Minister of Education and Culture Nadiem Makarim said, although schools at all levels of education are required to open, there are conditions that must be met.

First, all teachers and education personnel must have been vaccinated against COVID-19. Then, the school also still has to serve the online distance learning (PJJ) option.

"So, like it or not, even though vaccination has been completed, it is mandatory to provide limited face-to-face meetings. But it still has to go through a rotation system. So it must provide both face-to-face and distance learning options," said Nadiem on Tuesday, March 30.