Christmas And New Year's Holidays In Front Of The Eyes, But Remember COVID-19 Still Exists

JAKARTA - The Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture (Kemenko PMK) asked travelers to be disciplined in implementing health protocols (prokes) to prevent the transmission of COVID-19.

"Travelers who will travel during the year-end holidays are expected to implement health protocols," said Deputy for Coordination of Health Quality Improvement and Population Development at the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture Agus Suprapto, quoted from Antara.

The implementation of health protocols needs to be carried out by all travelers, both using public transportation and private vehicles.

"Health protocols such as using masks in a good and correct way and diligently washing hands are a must," he said, Monday, December 12.

Agus added that people who want to travel during the year-end holidays must also equip themselves with COVID-19 vaccinations ranging from the first dose to the booster dose.

"In addition to implementing health protocols, travelers must also equip themselves with vaccinations," he said.

According to Agus, when there is an increase in community mobility, the potential for disease spread is feared to increase.

"When population mobility is high, the risk of disease transmission can increase. Not only COVID-19 but also other infectious diseases such as ARI or TB," he said.

The Head of Professional Development of the Indonesian Association of Epidemiologists, Masdalina Pane, added that increasing community mobility during the year-end holidays needs to be balanced with strengthening health protocols.

"Improving mobility will not be a problem as long as it is balanced with health procedures, considering that it is currently still in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic," he said.

The researcher at the Center for Public Health Research at the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) said that health protocols such as wearing masks, maintaining distance and washing hands need to be implemented amidst the potential increase in community mobility during the Christmas and New Year 2023 holidays.

Pane added that education on the importance of health protocols must continue to be strengthened in order to increase public understanding and awareness to comply with health protocols.