The Implementation Of The New Normal Amid Uncertainty When COVID-19 Will End

Illustration (Photo: Jared Rice, Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Wiku Adisasmito, Chairman of the Expert Team for the COVID-19 Handling Task Force, admitted that he could not confirm when the COVID-19 pandemic would end. Although, he confirmed there were research studies that had predicted the corona virus outbreak would end in September.

However, this prediction also received refutation from other research studies. There are also those who say that there may be a second wave (second wave) of the transmission of COVID-19, thus extending the pandemic period.

"We do not know, the whole world also does not know when COVID-19 will end. Because, a vaccine for this virus has not been found. So, as long as a vaccine has not been found, we must always be able to deal with this virus," said Wiku in a discussion at Graha BNPB , East Jakarta, Tuesday, May 12.

Therefore, the best way to survive until the COVID-19 pandemic ends is to apply the term "the new normal". That is, creating a new normal condition that is different from before.

"The transformation of 'the New normal' is to organize new lives and behaviors during a pandemic which will then carry on in the future, until a vaccine is found for COVID-19," he said.

The application of "the new normal" by Wiku is an adjustment in our lifestyle so that we can break the chain and do activities as usual. We become routine activities such as working, studying, interacting, and worshiping from home.

In addition, implementing COVID-19 prevention protocols, such as wearing masks, applying physical distancing or maintaining a safe distance, and routinely washing hands with soap, cleaning hands using a hand sanitizer when outside the home, and maintaining body immunity.

"In principle, we have to accept that now we have to live together with this virus. Hopefully, everyone in the world can quickly get the vaccine, so that we defeat this virus," said Wiku.

For information, as of May 11, 2020, the development of COVID-19 cases in Indonesia is still increasing. The number of positive cases of COVID-19 reached 14,265 people, 2,881 recovered, and 911 people died.

Meanwhile, as many as 215 countries around the world have contracted the virus that originated in China. Until now, the total number of positive cases in the world reached 4,013,728 people and those who died reached 278,993 people.