Reading Messages When Achmad Yurianto Is Now Using A Cloth Mask

Spokesperson for the COVID-19 Task Force (YouTube)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has asked for the distribution of medical devices such as personal protective equipment (PPE), including masks, to be carried out properly. The reason is that healthy people are now obliged to wear masks when going out of the house to avoid the spread of COVID-19. Now, the Spokesperson for the COVID-19 Task Force, Achmad Yurianto, is also wearing a mask. There's a message in there.

Jokowi, before the limited meeting at the Bogor Presidential Palace, gave a statement. Jokowi said that along with the development of the situation, the call for masks had changed and was different from the World Health Organization (WHO) statement at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the start of this pandemic, WHO only recommended that masks be used for those who are sick, now those who are healthy are also required to wear masks when traveling.

Through the use of these masks, the government gives a message that the number of people who have the potential to carry the virus is already very large. This was read by the Central Executive of the Indonesian Public Health Expert Association (IAKMI), dr. Syahrizal Syarief.

According to him, this condition is exacerbated by the nature of COVID-19, which in many cases does not cause symptoms, so that many virus carriers are unaware of their condition. "Because at this time, if we leave the house, it is not clear who is sick and could be a contributor," said Syahrizal.

The government also wants to raise awareness that handling COVID-19 must be taken seriously. Taking care of yourself and the people around you is an equally important factor. Even so, there is an emphasis given by the government. People can use cloth masks so that medical masks can be used for medical workers at the forefront.

"I also ask that the preparation of masks really be prepared and given to the community. Because we want everyone who leaves the house to wear a mask," said Jokowi, Monday, April 6.

"In the beginning, WHO said that only those who wore masks were sick. But, not now. Everyone who leaves the house wears a mask," he said.

It is known, Yuri has asked everyone, both those who are healthy and those who are sick, to use a mask. In fact, at the beginning of the spread of COVID-19, Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto often stated that those who were healthy did not need to wear masks.

Like Jokowi, Yurianto also mentioned the use of masks for the entire community on the recommendation of the world health organization (WHO). "In accordance with recommendations from WHO, we run masks for all," he said in a press conference on BNPB's YouTube account, Sunday, March 5.

To give an example to the public, in a broadcast on the BNPB YouTube account on Monday, April 6, Achmad Yurianto, who explained the 'Successful Self-Isolation for 14 Days', was seen wearing a dark brown mask. In fact, previously, Achmad Yurianto had never used a mask every time he appeared to deliver updates on the number of COVID-19 cases in Indonesia.

Spokesperson for the COVID-19 Task Force Achmad Yurianto (YouTube)

As previously reported, the Head of the Expert Team for the Task Force for the Acceleration of Handling COVID-19, Wiku Adisasmito, said there were three masks that could be used to dispel the virus. The three types are cloth masks, surgical masks and N95 masks.

For medical personnel who work with patients with infections including COVID-19, ideally, using a mask of the N95 type. While surgical masks can be used for those who are sick or other health workers.

Others, as explained above, can be used by people when they are in public places or when interacting with other people.

"For doctors and dental nurses it is emphasized to use masks with the N95 type. We know that several dentists have died, therefore it is recommended to use N95 masks," explained Wiku.

"This mask can be made of at least three layers of cloth that can be used by the community, and when it starts getting wet, it can be replaced," he added.