Easing Of Mask Regulations Is Assessed To Trigger A Spike In COVID-19 Cases

Community activities at the Sudimampir Market in Banjarmasin are no longer wearing masks. (ANTARA/Word)

JAKARTA - Research shows that the higher the potential for transmission of the Corona virus, the higher the potential for the emergence of new variants, one of which could be a more infectious variant.

As living things, viruses have the ability to adapt to environmental pressures, one of which is antibodies that have been formed, viruses try to mutate to be able to overcome antibodies formed by vaccines or normal infections.

So in theory, the easing of the use of masks in Indonesia could trigger the emergence of new variants because there are greater opportunities for several variants to infect humans.

Moreover, at this time the symptoms of being infected with the corona virus are getting lighter as if humans do not realize they have been infected. By assuming he is healthy, masks are ignored and not used in open spaces, the chances of getting infected are finally increasing.

The definition of open space in the rules for easing the use of masks also still needs to be clarified and emphasized, because there are exceptions if a crowd appears, the health protocol rules for masks are mandatory again.

Awareness is still high

Luckily, in the days following the announcement of the easing by President Joko Widodo, public awareness to continue wearing masks is still quite high. Along the Jakarta-Bogor highway, and the main roads in Cibinong and Depok, more motorists on the road use masks than those who don't.

Several motorists met admitted that they still wear masks because they are still worried about being infected with the corona virus, especially now that many are asymptomatic if infected.

"It's better to be on guard, especially when you are used to wearing masks," said Trisno, who admitted to working in the Pasar Rebo area, as reported by Antara, Jakarta, Friday, May 20.

Once entering a number of minimarkets, the provisions for the use of masks are still adhered to, even though social distancing is still being ignored during the checkout line.

After the announcement of the easing of masks, the Indonesian Ulema Council also allowed healthy worshipers to remove their masks during congregational prayers in mosques and prayer rooms. MUI reminds elderly and unwell congregations to keep wearing masks while in mosques and prayer rooms.

Actually, the MUI policy is contrary to the call to continue to use masks in closed spaces, but Muslims welcome the loosening of masks in mosques and prayer rooms.

During the Friday event, three days after the easing of the rules, it was still seen that young people continued to wear masks out of awareness, but many elderly people began to ignore them.

The easing of masks on the one hand needs to be balanced with tightening other rules such as the obligation to wash hands when entering closed spaces, including offices and shopping centers.

Remember at the beginning of the pandemic, the rules for washing hands were so strict when entering police stations, offices and shopping centers. Until entering the housing complex, every guest is asked to wash their hands.

However, in the last semester, the rules began to loosen, where only a small part of the rules were still strict, even in a number of minimarkets, hand washing equipment was left damaged, the provision of free hand sanitizers was also neglected.

Masks and hand sanitizers have actually been echoed as a new lifestyle during the pandemic, but the loosening of mask rules and neglect of sanitation facilities are a setback in creating a new lifestyle.

Easing time

The timing of the easing of masks is also considered to be inappropriate because Indonesia has just experienced high population mobility during the homecoming and Eid holidays.

The head of the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI) COVID-19 Handling Task Force, Zubairi Djoerban, reminded the government to anticipate a spike in COVID-19 cases after Eid, which will only be seen two months after Eid al-Fitr.

Indonesia recently experienced the phenomenon of going home, which was carried out by more than 77 million people, so even if the risk of transmission is small, large-scale mobility is still worrying.

The easing of the use of masks in the open was also accompanied by a tightening of the use of masks for the elderly, especially those with comorbidities. The elderly will be more susceptible to infection from Corona so they must be properly maintained when outside the home.

The announcement of a fairly sudden easing also made a number of regions confused about following up because there were no instructions for the implementation of easing masks in the open.

Most local governments eventually did not make new circulars but began to take action for people who do not wear masks in open spaces.

But there are also local governments that still require the use of masks in certain open areas, such as the Yogyakarta City Government which requires masks in the tourist area of Malioboro.

Almost all regional heads reminded the public not to be euphoric by easing the mask rule because the Corona virus is still a threat. This means that health protocols still apply in certain places such as terminals, train stations, public transportation, office spaces and crowds in open places.

Globally, the threat of COVID-19 is starting to decline despite a spike in cases in China and North Korea.

On the official website of the World Health Organization (WHO), Wednesday (18/5), it was reported that the weekly COVID-19 development from March to May 15 was in a fairly stable condition. It was noted that there was only a 1 percent increase in cases in the week of May 9 to 15 when compared to the previous week.

While conditions in Indonesia in the period 2 to 8 May, the national average positivity rate was 0.4 percent and all provinces reported weekly deaths of less than one per 100,000 population or were very low.

Already through the study

Although it was considered sudden, the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) stated that the easing of the policy of removing masks in open spaces had gone through the stage of reviewing and observing the condition of the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia.

Spokesperson for the COVID-19 Vaccination of the Ministry of Health, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, stated that the easing of the use of masks was a step by the government to familiarize people with entering the transition to endemic.

In addition, studies have also been carried out on similar policies implemented in other countries such as America, Britain, Italy, and Singapore. Siti also admitted that when these countries relaxed the use of masks, there was an increase in cases, but the numbers were not dangerous.

The data collected through the integration of laboratory examinations and the use of PeduliLindungi also helps the government to dare to take a stand on these easings, especially in the handling of the pandemic in Indonesia, which continues to improve.

The Ministry of Health will also continue to monitor the positivity rate and reproduction rate as an indicator of whether the spread of COVID-19 is still under control.

The test of the condition of the spread of COVID-19 in Indonesia is actually in the next one to two weeks, because referring to the experience of previous years, there are indications that an increase in the transmission rate occurs 27 - 34 days after Eid al-Fitr.

Hopefully all can take care of themselves and continue to carry out health protocols so that this spike does not occur.