Jokowi Asks Public Figures To Provide Education Regarding The COVID-19 Pandemic

President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo (Photo: Setkab)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo asked religious leaders, community leaders, cultural figures, sociologists, and anthropologists to be involved in educating the public regarding the handling of COVID-19. Because, he does not want any more incidents of forcibly taking the bodies of patients infected with COVID-19 by the family.

"Religious figures, community leaders, humanists, sociologists and anthropologists in public communication must be heavily involved. So that it does not happen again to seize corpses that are clearly COVID by the family. I think that is something we must protect so that it does not happen again. it will happen again after this, "said Jokowi in a limited meeting on the acceleration of handling the impact of COVID-19 at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, Monday, June 29.

The former Governor of DKI Jakarta also reminded the importance of educating the public about COVID-19 testing which was carried out by means of a rapid test and swab test . This is because he knows that in several areas there are people who refuse the swab test and rapid test .

He considered, the rejection actually occurred because there was no socialization to the community. So that when the officers come to do the testing, people who don't understand the reason will refuse.

"Maybe (officers) come and use PCR ( polymerase chain reaction) , come and come rapid tests and there is no explanation beforehand, first socialization to the people who will be visited. So, what happens is rejection," he said.

Responding to this, Doni Monardo, Chair of the Task Force for the Acceleration of Handling COVID-19, said that so far the approach to local wisdom has always been done to the community and has become the spearhead.

Thus, leaders in the regions from the highest to the village head always use language that is easy to understand.

"Foreign terms must be translated into language that is easy to understand, including the use of regional languages. For example, droplets , then social distancing, physical distancing, new normal. This is expected to be translated by all leaders in the regions so that the important thing is that the community can understand," said Doni. after the meeting.

Meanwhile, regarding the refusal to test for COVID-19 in several areas, Doni said that socialization needed to be done. "It is not permissible to suddenly carry out rapid tests in markets or certain settlements," he said.

"There needs to be preconditions, there needs to be socialization so that the objectives of the rapid test can be understood by the public," added the Head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB).

He said that the rapid test effort needed to be implemented. Because, this test is useful for knowing the condition of the community. In addition, this rapid test can capture people who turn out to be reactive and then proceed with testing with the method (PCR).

"If it is positive for COVID, it is necessary to carry out independent isolation if possible or it can be prepared by the local government. Many district / city governments have prepared self-isolation," he concluded.