Crowd At Tanah Abang Market, Epidemiologist: Not Only Bring Home Eid Clothes, But Also Bring Viruses

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Epidemiologist from Griffith University Australia, Dicky Budiman regrets the crowd at Tanah Abang Market, Central Jakarta. He said the public should remain vigilant about the transmission of COVID-19.

He even said that people crammed there could not only get Eid clothes but also be exposed to the COVID-19 virus. What's more, in a viral video, the community is in one area of the room and disobeying health protocols.

"Yes, you can buy Eid clothes that you can get not only for Eid clothes but also the COVID-19 virus that you can take home", said Dicky during a conversation with VOI, Sunday, May 2.

This epidemiologist asks the public not to underestimate the COVID-19 pandemic. This is because various research results show that people who are asymptomatic when exposed to this virus tend to have health problems and can reduce their quality of life in the future.

"I would like to remind you that once again, recent research has shown that in people without symptoms, the health problems are getting bigger, especially in addition to the heart, lungs, and blood vessels. This can be prolonged and has the potential to reduce the quality of life", said Dicky.

"So even though we haven't felt it yet, it can happen and this is what makes COVID-19 feared in developed countries", he added.

Furthermore, Dicky highlighted the role of the government in preventing this from happening. According to him, if a market or shopping center is to be opened so that economic activity can continue, the rules must be made in such away.

"The market is indeed a gathering place. So if you want to open it, you have to be consistent with the protocol, the rules. If all the rules are not obeyed, implemented, yes, no matter how good we end up worsening the pandemic situation", he said.

In addition, Dicky also mentioned that there was a crowd in the market, as in the video, which shows that online shopping activities have not been followed by people in the midst of a pandemic. So, the government should be serious about paying attention to this so that there is no transmission of the virus in the community.

"So there are no mechanisms to adapt to this outbreak, do not exist. Maybe they (the community, ed) do not receive direction and this should be paid attention to", he said.

Previously reported, a video showing Tanah Abang Market, Central Jakarta was packed with viral visitors on social media. In this video, visitors can be seen crammed without following health protocols.

Anticipating this, the Provincial Government of DKI Jakarta then responds quickly by coordinating with each leader of Perumda Pasar Jaya. This action aims to ensure that market managers, including Tanah Abang Market, can tighten supervision so that the rate of active COVID-19 cases can be systematically controlled.

This supervision will be carried out by the COVID-19 Task Force. This aims to keep the economic activities running but visitors can still comply with health protocols.

"We will anticipate all potential spikes inactive cases, such as activities in every market leading up to Eid, Idul Fitri. From today onwards, we will place a COVID-19 task force to manage visitors and curb health protocol violators", said the Regional Secretary of DKI Jakarta Province Marullah Matali in his written statement, which was quoted on Sunday, May 2.

In addition, anyone who violates the COVID-19 prevention health protocol will certainly not be allowed to enter the market area. "IIn essence, the visitor is prohibited from entering the market area if they not wearing a mask", he said.