There Are Still 1.3 Million People Who Are Desperate To Go Home, The Area Could Be Threatened To Become The New Epicenter Of COVID-19

The atmosphere of people leaving for homecoming at Pasar Senen Station. (Angga Nugraha / VOI)

JAKARTA - A number of areas are in danger of becoming the new epicenter of the spread of the corona virus or COVID-19. The threat is in sight, if the homecoming flow in Lebaran 2020 cannot be stopped.

Therefore, the government is asked to arrest people who want to go home. This is because there are 1.3 million people who insist on carrying out routine activities just before Eid.

Chairman of the Indonesian Transportation Society (MTI), Agus Taufik Mulyono, explained that transportation and mobilization have the potential to spread the COVID-19 outbreak. Because, if you look at it, the origin of the spread of the virus is none other than according to him starting from transportation.

"The transportation sector is considered to be the prime cause of transmission of the COVID-19 virus," he said, in a video conference with journalists, in Jakarta, Tuesday, April 14.

Agus said, the threat of spreading COVID-19 can be seen from the origin and destination of the homecoming. Especially for prospective travelers from Jabodetabek, there are several destination areas with the largest portion.

It is predicted that 13 percent of prospective travelers from Jabodetabek will go home to West Java (West Java), 41 percent to Central Java (Central Java) and the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY), and 20 percent to East Java (East Java). As for those who leave Java, he said that at least 8 percent of prospective travelers will go to Sumatra, including Lampung and South Sumatra.

"This is what needs to be seen from the impact of going home, especially in Central Java, Yogyakarta, East Java, West Java. This will become ODP areas or new infections, new outbreak areas if the government does not handle this homecoming. This is the picture," he said.

Based on the results of a poll by the Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub), there are already 900 thousand Jabodetabek residents who went home early. The rest, who are still in Jakarta, are 2.6 million prospective travelers. Of that number, some are bound by regulations and it is likely that they will not go home.

"With the Presidential Instruction that the BUMN and BUMD TNI Polri, PNS / ASN, and all those who are state apparatus bound by the regulation are prohibited from going home. From the data, half of the 2.6 million. Currently there are 1.3 million who still have the potential to want to go home. , or haven't decided yet, "he said.

Agus stated, many people are desperate to go home in the midst of the COVID-19 virus outbreak because this is an annual culture. "Then there are those who are desperate to go home because there is no input on the cost of living, this must be determined to go home," he said.

"Then there are those who insist on going home because of the requests of their parents and families. These people are in the 1.3 million," he continued.

Solutions to Be Taken

Agus said, to prevent reckless homecoming, the solution that could be taken was limiting public transportation to operate. "Because in public transportation, people will shake hands, chat, and make other physical contact," he said.

"From small things, starting from we met shaking hands, we mobilized, took transportation, lingered inside, huddled together, got off at ports, terminals and airports. This is a cycle that is difficult to detect transmission but it happens," he continued.

Therefore, Agus asked prospective travelers to be willing to postpone their homecoming trip amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Of course this is done in order to break the chain of transmission of the corona virus which is increasingly widespread in Indonesian territory.

According to Agus, to deal with people who want to go home because there is no cost to live in Jabodetabek, the government can help by providing direct cash assistance (BLT) or cash.

Meanwhile, those who insist on going home can also be given a solution by providing compensation for virtual communication not face to face.

The atmosphere inside the Soetta Airport train. (Angga Nugraha / VOI)

"That can be done with communication vouchers, it's compensation for missing homecoming. It's easier to do because technology can detect anyone who wants to go home from their cellphone number," he explained.

In addition, according to Agus, a campaign should also be carried out to remind the community not to want to become ODP for the safety of families in the village. Then, it can also be explained the impact if they are still determined to go home.

According to Agus, prospective travelers must know the conditions in their village. This is because in some areas it has prohibited immigrants from other areas. However, it does not rule out the possibility that even though homecoming is prohibited, due to high social characteristics, prospective travelers can still be accepted in their destination.

So ODP, Health Facilities Not Ready

Furthermore, Agus said, if the prospective travelers had succeeded in arriving at their destination, another problem would arise, namely that they would become ODP COVID-19.

"If people are tired of going to their area, then they will be treated as ODP once home, quarantine for 14 days. Where is the place? Are each region ready? Now that the task force has reached the RT level, is RT ready to accept ODP ?," he said.

"Then, the limited services, treatment for victims of COVID-19 in the destination area. Because the RSUD and Puskesmas are inadequate equipment, the doctors, the officers, are facts," he continued.

Agus said, seeing these possibilities, the local government must prepare an isolation area for ODP, empowerment of RT / RW readiness, community leaders, and religious leaders.

In addition, said Agus, the regional government will improve the services of RSUD and puskesmas because when they reach their respective areas the responsibility is shifted, by the local government.

Not only that, according to Agus, to avoid insisting on going home, the government can instruct gas stations not to serve private vehicles or official vehicles.

"So as long as the government determines whether it is allowed to go home or not, when it is decided not to go home, it is better if the gas station does not serve it," he said.

Agus stated that it was not enough to regulate this dismissal through existing regulations. A new regulation is needed in which there must be strict sanctions for those who violate it.

"If later it is decided that all transportation media will be stopped, whether PSBB or other regulations are sufficient. If there is a national movement like this, a new regulation needs to be set by the president. This cannot be the ministerial class. The DPR also cannot remain silent. This is a collective responsibility," he said.