Surabaya Vigorous Against Coronavirus

KOMPAS/BAHANA PATRIA GUPTA

Officers direct the driver across another route because Jalan Tunjungan is closed in the context of the enactment of the Physical Distancing Orderly Area in Surabaya, East Java, Friday (27/3/2020). Enforcement of the policy was in order to suppress the spread of the Covid-19 outbreak.

It has been almost a week since Surabaya, East Java, has looked deserted. There are no crowds on the main streets or at traditional markets, which are usually filled with activity. Surabaya’s quiet atmosphere, as if it was Idul Fitri, is attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The eye-catching activities that attract people’s attention are more related to the efforts to prevent the spread of the coronavirus by the Surabaya administration. Every morning, several officials spray disinfectant at public places and also in the neighborhoods.

Almost every day the voice of Surabaya Mayor Tri Rismaharini is heard telling people to maintain physical distance. Risma walks around, from the shopping complex to the narrow alleys in the neighborhoods. She reminds people to practice social distancing to reduce the risk of spreading the new coronavirus.

"Hello, the people of Surabaya, please don’t sit too close while sitting, about 1 meter away from each other. Also, wash your hands before eating,” Risma said using a loudspeaker while informing the public about social distancing as well as clean and healthy living behavior, Wednesday (18/3/2020).

Hello, the people of Surabaya, please don’t sit too close while sitting, about 1 meter away from each other.

Since COVID-19 broke out in Wuhan, China, at the end of 2019, the Surabaya administration had begun to take preventive measures before positive cases were found in Indonesia. In a circular issued in January, the residents were reminded to detect and prevent COVID-19 transmission.

All entrances to Surabaya, from other cities or from abroad, are equipped with body temperature scanners. The community health centers (Puskesmas) were asked to be able to detect if there were patients with symptoms of COVID-19. Face masks that become one of the main necessities during the outbreak were also prepared to anticipate scarcity in the market.

HUMAS PEMKOT SURABAYA

Surabaya Mayor Tri Rismaharini On Monday (23/3/2020) continued to invite Surabaya residents from alley to alley to stay at home. Do not ever go out of town let alone out of the country, and even outside the house only if there is an urgent need.

Two months after the appeal was issued, the local residents became more aware and were disciplined to follow the appeal. Surabaya resident, Teguh Prihandoko, 57, is now reducing activities outside the home. If there is no urgent need, he and his family choose to remain at home. He has also practiced work from home.

"Residents also began to actively take action to curb the spread of the coronavirus by making disinfectants and hand sanitizers independently," Teguh said.

People\'s concern about the coronavirus in Surabaya is not without reason. As of Friday (27/3), there were 31 positive cases of COVID-19. There were 16 suspected patients and 189 people under monitoring.

In order to make COVID-19 not widespread, the Surabaya City administration increases social restrictions in the community. School activities are suspended and activities involving mass crowds are banned.

We also share disinfectant solutions so that residents can participate in self-disinfection in their respective places.

The police are also active in making sure there are no crowds in public places. The city’s main roads, Jl Tunjungan and Jl Darmo, are closed. The community is asked not to do activities on the road at 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and a p.m. to 11 p.m.

The city administration also provides hand-washing facilities or sinks, along with hand-washing soap, in a number of public places. Of the 1,000 targeted sinks, 645 have been realized.

Another effort being made is to install 50 sterilization booths at a number of entrances, such as at terminals, stations, ports and airports. Sterilization booths are also installed in a number of public facilities, such as shopping centers, hospitals and traditional markets.

"The spraying of disinfectant liquid is carried out en masse into residential areas and public facilities. We also share disinfectant solutions so that residents can participate in self-disinfection in their respective places," said Risma.

In addition, the Surabaya City administration also opened a community kitchen for the production of herbal drinks "pokak" and boiled eggs. There are 1,000 packages produced every day and distributed to the residents to enhance immunity. At the same time, Risma also invited around 100 stakeholders in the city of Surabaya to invite them to make health protocols in their respective environments.

Kompas/Bahana Patria Gupta

The atmosphere of Jalan Tunjungan which was closed in the context of the enactment of the Orderly Physical Distancing area, Surabaya, East Java, Friday (27/3/2020). Enforcement of the area in order to reduce the spread of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Personal protective gears

Aside from protecting the Surabaya residents from the spread of this infectious diseases, the Surabaya City administration also helps to fulfill the needs of personal protective gear (APD) for medical personnel at Dr. Soetomo Hospital. The number of the protective gears is limited and the medical workers have to make protective gears from plastic bags.

At the request of East Java chapter of the Indonesian Anesthesiologists and Intensive Therapists Association as well as representatives from the Indonesian Intensive Care Medical Association, Risma immediately mobilized micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to work on producing the protective gears, including the face shields or face protective devices, from mica plastic (hardened plastic), clothes and masks.

The making of the protective gears does not only involve the MSMEs, but also the employees of the Surabaya City administration. A number of employees worked together to produce these face protective equipment. They were asked to assist in the preparation of the protective gears, ranging from measuring the mica plastic, cutting the sponge and sewing the rubber mounted on the two sides of mica plastic.

"All of them work on the basis of humanity and the city administration has been able to produce around 540 face shields which are then handed over to the health agency for distribution," Surabaya COVID-19 rapid-response task force health protocol coordinator Febria Rachmanita said.

HUMAS PEMKOT SURABAYA

Spraying of disinfectants continues in the city of Surabaya, including in traditional markets, as on Thursday (26/3/2020)

Surabaya Civil Apparatus Agency promotion and assignment head Yanuar Hermawan said that the production of face protective gears is quite simple. Some of the materials needed, including mica plastic, sponge, adhesive and rubber, were provided by the Surabaya City administration.

MSMEs business player Sumila, 45, of Pakis hamlet, said that within two days he was able to complete more than 1,000 face masks. He was pleased to be able to participate in the war against COVID-19 to protect the people of Surabaya.

"We have the manpower. The raw materials are all from the Surabaya City administration," he said.

In the beginning, what the Surabaya City administration initiated and did indeed seemed excessive considering there was no cases of COVID-19 found in the city of 3.3 million people. From around Rp 12 billion budget allocation for the handling of COVID-19, Rp 3 billion has been absorbed.

Now the preventive measure is starting to bear fruit with the increasing people’s participation. It’s better to prevent than to cure. Arek Suroboyo continues working to provide solutions.