Unlike Gibran, Bobby Nasution Allows Children In Medan To Enter Malls Amid The Ferocity Of COVID-19 Cases

Medan Mayor Bobby Nasution (Instagram bobbynst)

MEDAN - Medan Mayor Bobby Nasution still allows children to enter malls amid the soaring COVID-19 cases. In contrast to the Mayor of Solo, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, who prohibited toddlers from entering malls due to the pandemic.

According to Bobby Nasution, the handling of COVID-19 as well as prevention of transmission to children must be carried out simultaneously.

"To overcome it (spread), we need treatment from upstream to downstream. That can be affected by the delta variant", said Bobby Nasution, Wednesday, June 30.

"Today we have tried to prevent the entry of the delta variant from the entrance to Medan. One of them is from Belawan (port)", he continued.

According to Bobby Nasution, everyone from outside who comes to Medan via Belawan Port will undergo rapid antigen even though there is a letter from the city of origin.

"If the results are reactive, we will prepare a PCR (swab), hopefully, we can bring a mobile lab. If it is positive, we will immediately refer them to the hospital, we have to trace them from the beginning, we can't implement restrictions to children only", he explained.

Meanwhile, a member of the North Sumatra COVID-19 Task Force, Dr. Inke Lubis, explained that Medan was the city with the highest spread of COVID-19 among children in North Sumatra.

"But indeed for Medan and Deli Serdang, there are very high cases of children. The number in the last 6 months was almost 2.000. So we have until today since the pandemic there have been 3.891 cases (children)", said Dr. Inke.

According to Inke, a significant increase occurred from April 2021. The figure is 3 times the reported weekly.

In addition, Inke said, elementary school-aged children were the group most exposed to COVID-19. From the data, so far 14 children have died due to exposure to the coronavirus.

"We have recorded 14 children, especially at a young age. Indeed, there are co-morbidities such as heart disease", said Inke.