Health Protection At PON XX Papua, The Committee Prepares A Special Route To Prevent The Spread Of COVID-19

The medical team conducts an antigen test for diving athletes before the Papua PON Swimming Diving match at the Aquatic Stadium/ Antara

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Supervisory and Steering Committee of the XX Papua National Sports Week (PON), Suwarno said that his party had prepared a special route to protect the health of athletes, officials, and committee members at the sporting event.

This is done as an effort to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 considering that this activity was carried out in the midst of a pandemic.

He said there were a number of ways to prevent the presence of COVID-19 clusters due to the implementation of PON. One of them is that athletes are required to get vaccines, run PCR tests, and isolate themselves in their respective provinces before leaving for Papua.

Upon arrival, they are required to perform antigen and be placed in accommodation facilities which are divided based on the sport they are participating in. In addition, Suwarno said athletes and officials cannot travel arbitrarily because they are only allowed to go to the match venue according to the bubble system.

"In accommodation, if you have symptoms, the antigen test can proceed directly to PCR. If it is positive, (then, red) it is isolated and tracing is carried out for the surroundings," said Suwarno in a written statement quoted on Wednesday, October 6.

Not only that, athletes who compete in sports that make physical contact such as wrestling or wushu are required to carry out rapid antigen first.

Later, after the PON event is completed, athletes and officials are required to carry out PCR first. Furthermore, after arriving in their respective provinces, Suwarno advised them to carry out self-isolation before starting their activities.

The situation and condition of PON XX Papua is now going well. Minister of Youth and Sports (Menpora) Zainudin Amali said the match had gone smoothly so far and health protocols were also maintained. Moreover, various parties including the Ministry of Health and the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) continue to carry out surveillance.

"This is the collaboration of all stakeholders, all working together without having to look at the function. Supervision also continues to be carried out around, even by the Head of BNPB, the Minister of Health also looks directly at the implementation of Prokes in the field," said Zainudin.

Similar to Suwarno, he said that there were a number of principles of health protection that had been implemented in the sporting event. Even the implementation is modeled after the Tokyo Olympics, which was held in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as implementing a bubble to bubble system and ensuring that all parties involved have been vaccinated and continue to carry out tests.

"Most importantly, all those involved have been vaccinated. Including the surrounding community as targeted by the President so that 60-70 percent have been vaccinated," said Zainudin. PON excitement.

"This PON is an activity that is highly awaited by the Papuan people, so we provide protection to them. The process is determined and monitored by the committee so that all are safe and comfortable," said Zainudin.

He did not deny that the XX Papua PON does face its own challenges in the midst of its implementation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Zainudin hopes that from the implementation of this PON, other sports competition activities can also adjust to the situation.

"We don't know when the pandemic will end. So what we can do is start activities but with strict procedures and continue to educate the public," he said.

Meanwhile, the Head of Health Handling of the COVID-19 Task Force Alexander Ginting reminded all parties to maintain PON XX Papua and the area where this activity was carried out did not become a new epicenter. However, this of course requires the cooperation of all parties, from the central government, regional governments, organizers, participants, to the local community.

To the local community, as a preparation and effort to protect health, his party continues to carry out 3M socialization, namely wearing masks, washing hands, maintaining distance and implementing 3T namely testing, tracing, treatment, as well as vaccination.

"We also socialize that if you have symptoms, don't leave the house or go to the location, first check with the doctor so that transmission does not occur. Then the maskization movement is encouraged to become a local culture or work ethic, especially regarding the implementation of PON XX," said Ginting.

"We take care together so that PON XX and the area do not become epicenters," he concluded.